Growing Pains
by bookworm-gurl
Summary: Go back a decade & learn a lot about someone's past & same can be said about high school memories. Gil Grissom is the new kid in town, he falls for Catherine Willows, who is a cheerleader with her bff Sara Sidle. Nick Stokes, Warrick Brown & Greg Sanders, all on the football team create some interesting tales too! Sit back & enjoy the high school drama & fun of our Graveyard CSI's.
1. Chapter 1

**Author Note: **Hey guys (and girls) I have been slacking on my fan fiction's recently, mainly because life has become quite hectic and the ideas are just not flowing like they used to be. I'm hoping that with editing a few older stories that I love and my reader's enjoy, might spark some new ideas to come to mind so I can add some new stuff to this site, it feels like forever ago I posted a new fic. I hope you enjoy this story, even with it's minor changes, I am trying to keep it as close to the original as possible, but fixing grammar, punctuation, sentence structure etc.

Thnx for the continued support & you can still review if you wish, or not that's fine too! xx oo

**B.**

* * *

**Growing Pains**

**- Present Day -  
**

There was three hours remaining in the graveyard shift on a Friday Night in the vibrant and lively city of Las Vegas. The summer heat always brought out the drunks, the crazies and also the tourists which in turn made for quite a busy evening at LVPD. Each of them, used to pulling doubles and sometimes triple shifts in order to get enough for Captain Jim Brass to make an arrest but tonight, none of them were thinking about arrests or even the evidence they were collecting. No, the heat was too great and the end of shift seemed so far away that they had all made arrangements to go for breakfast, a usual team tradition, and unwind for once before returning to their prison of glass walls and sterile floors for another shift.

There was about ten minutes left in shift and the group had slowly connived in the break room, plopping their exhausted bums down on the ratted couch, or resting their arms on the table, rubbing their bloodshot eyes with their fingers and counting down the seconds until they could leave. Catherine Willows, the eldest female on the graveyard shift was flipping mindlessly through the _Cosmopolitan _magazine, twirling a strand of blonde curl through her fingers, having a hard time focusing on the images in front of her. Gil Grissom, the head Supervisor for this crack team was sitting at the table, his left leg propped up on his right knee with his reading glasses down the bridge of his nose. He was concentrating on the "advanced" crossword puzzle from the newspaper. Catherine still believed was genius level and he always did them in pen.

Sara Sidle, the younger, brunette had just entered the break room, neither of her older colleagues looking up from their medial tasks as she bee lined it to the small bar fridge in the corner. She bent over, the muscles in her back shooting with pain from being hunched over a glass door she just spent the last six hours piecing together like a jig saw puzzle. She sighed, unable to find anything edible that was not one of her supervisors "experiments" he tended to leave in the fridge without fair warning. Warrick Brown, sat on the other end of the couch that Catherine was curled up, still flipping through her magazine, his eyes squinting at the small screen to his phone, scrolling through text messages or game scores, either way, his mind was somewhere else then work.

Finally, Nick Stoke, had his legs up on the opposite end of the table Grissom was sitting at, flipping through the channels to the small TV that was mounted in the corner over the couch trying to find something to watch that was either funny or interesting, which was a difficult task at almost six in the morning. He finally came the teen show "Save By the Bell", a teen sitcom that was the stereotypical 80's high school. It was a prom episode where one of the main characters got stood up by her date. The thoughts of prom and high school brought a smile to Nick's lips, thinking of the group of them back in high school and the interesting course of events that happened in just a few short months.

"Hey, do any of you guys remember back to high school, senior year? What a few months huh?" Nick asked turning around in his chair as his smile fell. No one was paying any attention to the words coming out of his mouth.

"I give up!" Sara stated, slamming the fridge door which caught the rest of the teams attention. "This fridge literally had no food in it, except for Grissom's experiments." She sighed, plopping down in the chair beside Nick, folding her arms and pouting. "I would eat one if a) I were that desperate and b) my boss wouldn't suspend me."

A smile to creep across Catherine's face as she threw her magazine on the small coffee table in front of her with a flick of the wrist. "Did you say something Nicky?" She asked, choosing to ignore Sara's temper tantrum and looked over at the TV.

"Senior year, I'm sure that year sticks in all our heads as the most memorable of high school." Nick repeated, his smile returning now that at least one person was paying attention.

"Oh high school, such a long time ago. I do remember quite vividly in fact, that Catherine and I were cheerleaders," Sara said watching as Gil perked his interest in this conversation now that it had to do with his crush jumping up and down in a short skirt and low cut top.

"Oh yeah that's right! The Vegas Lions, hear us roar! We won almost every game we ever played…before senior year, what happened to you guys?" Catherine pumped her left fist in the air with a smile, "Thank God I never let Lindsey try out for the squad, she is already a handful without me having to worry about people ogling my daughter."

"It was the homework's fault we went down hill Cat, I swear" Nick said trying to defend himself as he shot a glance at Warrick who was still into his phone, "Back me up here Brown." He said searching for some friendly support.

"Sure it was Nick, you guys had all the same classes as Cat and I," Sara said rolling her eyes.

"Didn't you both have crushes on football players." Warrick piped up, putting away his phone, "Actually, if my memory serves me correctly, I believe one of them works in our very own DNA lab." He taunted, watching Sara's fact go red with embarrassment. "Still got the magic touch Sidle."

"Don't you even start Warrick," Catherine butted in, defending her friend. "There were plenty of girls, including multiple cheerleaders, you had your filthy paws all over senior year." Warrick was about to say something, but instead clamped his mouth shut.

"Cat, don't act so innocent, does the name Jeff Peterson ring any bells?" Nick said, sitting up his chair, really enjoying where this conversation was heading at the end of shift.

Her smile widened as Gil swore he watched the blue hue of her eyes glaze over with the memory of Jeff Peterson. Even he remembered Jeff. The star Quarterback with silky brown hair, emerald eyes and also the resident asshole. There was no denying that Jeff and Catherine were the most attractive couple to strut down the halls of Horseshoe Valley but, he treated all women, Catherine included, like dirt. If there was one thing Gil wished he could have done back then it was to stand up the creep and expose him for the bastard he was. Graduation day could not come fast enough for Gil to put as much distance as possible between him and everyone from high school, besides the people currently in the break room.

"Do you know what became of that kid? I haven't seen him since Graduation." Warrick asked bringing Gil back to the conversation continuing around him.

"You know, now that I think of it, I swear I saw him flipping burgers at the McDonald's a few days ago." Nick replied and Catherine giggled.

"He sure was cute but was a complete bonehead, must have been all that dirt he ate out in the football field, right Griss?" Catherine replied eying her boss as all eyes fell on the older man in the room.

He glared at Catherine, knowing that this was her way of getting him involved in their trip down memory lane but, high school was one of the few times in his life Gil never wanted to revisit or relive again. When he had only one year left of high school his mother and father had finalized their divorce and they moved to Vegas. He was the new kid, the geeky kid and wanted to be a ghost but, that was far from what happened his senior year. Even though it was only a few short months Gil felt like a brand new person who had accomplished a lot of firsts. The first time he had any real friends, first time he saw a football game, first time he met and fell in love, first time in a strip club, at a rave and finally, the first time he had ever felt human and apart of a group.

"I see you're back in the real world with us once again," Catherine smirked, her blue eyes soft and inviting as Grissom gave her a playful smirk.

"Do you have any memorable times from your one year at Horseshoe Valley?" Warrick asked perking his nose to the new aroma in the break room; coffee.

Grissom's mind was screaming out multiple memories, he wanted to say when he saw Catherine dressed in her short and cute cheer leading uniform or, when he accidentally bumped into her in the hall, helping her with her books. Instead, he kept his mouth shut, averted his eyes back to his crossword and hoped his cheeks were not as red as he felt they were.

"Grissom?" Catherine questioned waving her hand in the air to try and catch his attention, "Hello, earth to Grissom,"

"Um, no I-I don't have any real memorable moments about high school. I mean, everything I did was memorable" Grissom stuttered, wishing he could escape this but, he knew it was safer for him to sit tight then to try and leave. He glanced down at the table away from Catherine's beautiful smile and back at his unfinished crossword puzzle sprawled out on the table, feeling her lips and eyes burning his skin.

"He's lying," Greg piped up pouring himself a cup of coffee. Everyone turned their head towards the new voice in the silent room except Gil, who cringed at the young lab rats voice.

"What do you mean _h__e's lying_?" Sara asked joining Greg at the counter to pour herself a cup as well.

"I mean, he's not telling the truth, duh."

"I know what lying means smart ass, I meant, what is he lying about."

"Ouch! That hurt" Greg whined as he rubbed his shoulder where Sara had just sucker punched him.

"A big football jock like you should be able to withstand a punch from a cheerleader" Catherine stated stifling a laugh as she looked over at her boss watching him shift uncomfortably in his chair, almost as if he was afraid that Greg was going to reveal one of his secrets.

"Before you come after me all I have to say are two words," Greg stated sipping his coffee while slowly making his way towards the break room door.

"And what two words would those be?" Warrick asked.

"Pink Flamingo's" Greg then dashed out of the room and back towards his lab before anyone was even able to get up from their chair.

"Pink Flamingo's…" Nick repeated and turned to look over to Catherine and Sara seeing the anger seething under their skin at the mention of those two harmless words. He then darted his eyes towards Grissom and saw his flushed cheeks and smiled; Greg had just let a big secret out of the bag.

**- Fifteen Years Prior - **

This was it, the final leg of high school. Only a few short months stood between the end of an era and the beginning of adulthood. The graduating class of 98' was going to go out in style there was no doubt about that. With the school year winding down, many had their minds set on three things; summer, prom and parties. Horseshoe Valley High was your typical, all American high school overflowing with clicks of all kinds. Las Vegas was always known as and will forever be, a party town. Kids that had connections to either Daddy's penthouse suite in a hotel he owns or know the alphabet streets like the back of their hands, there was always a place for you at Horseshoe, even for the new kid, Gilbert Grissom.

The loud, obnoxious red bell rang signalling the end of another class. Catherine and Sara left their Spanish class, following a herd of students who were tired and bored with learning a language that they would barely need to use. Unless they move to Texas or California that is. In a matter of seconds the deserted hallways were once again crowded with teenagers, dodging and weaving their way from one class to another, almost like herding cattle on a ranch. Sara was whispering something in her best friend's ear that made both of them erupt into a fit of giggles. The seventeen and eighteen-year-old girls had been best friends since Grade 2 at Olympic Queen elementary. Both were tall, lean and beautiful, sharing almost every interest with each other including what they had both applied to college to become; a criminologist.

The girls had the advantage of not many people wanting to pursue a career as a criminologist for the mere fact that not many people knew exactly what a Criminologist was. The idea of solving crime, feeling good about your job and also, engaging in science made this job sound like a dream come true. Plus, with less competition to get into the program, the easier it will become when they are ready to leave school once and for all and join the real working world. Both of them had always wanted to pursue a career in science ever since they both turned 10 years old and each of their birthday's bought the other their very own chemistry set. Of course they almost blew up Catherine's kitchen, and burned down Sara's garage but, some of the greatest scientists learn from their mistakes, no matter how young or old you are.

"Hey Sara, do we have cheer leading practice after school tonight?" Catherine asked, pressing her shoulder against her locker and sighing, hoping for the day to end. She twirled the dial on her locker knowing the combination she has had for the past four years by heart and snapped open the metal door.

"Yeah we do, God I hope use sweating our asses off is going to pay off tonight. Do you think these guys will actually win this up coming game?" Sara said, leaning against the other locker, her head lopped to one side and her brown eyes deep with fatigue. Catherine reached in, grabbed her Chemistry book and slammed the door shut once more giving a weak smile.

"God I hope so, I mean we always won before, except for this year. I think we need to have a little chat with our team before Sunday" Catherine replied with a wink as they headed back on down the hall towards their favourite class of the day.

Sara gave her friend the evil eye, "I think you should do a little more talking and a little less smooching with Jeff Cat, he is our star quarterback after all." She said as Catherine playfully punched her in the arm, making them both falter in their steps and drop their books and binders on the floor.

Their loose notes scattered all over the dirty tiles as the hoard of high school students, heading in both directions, did nothing to avoid stepping on them, covering the white papers with muddy shoe prints and old, stale gum. Sara sighed, bending down, hoping her short skirt did not expose too much of her bottom, and began collecting her binder, book and papers.

"Good one Cat" She huffed as Catherine joined her on the floor, crawling on her hands and knees to collect the remaining stragglers.

"What are you complaining about, I dropped my books as well," She stated when her hand grazed that of another, on the top of her bright pink binder.

"Here let me help you" a male voice stated as Catherine looked up from her binder, seeing that his hand had moved away, she followed his arms up to his piercing blue eyes.

Catherine remained on all fours, her eyes transfixed on this mysterious stranger as he held her binder loosely in his hands "Thanks…" She muttered, standing up and smoothing out the creases in her plaid mini skirt.

"N-No problem," He said, his eyes moved from Catherine's back to the floor as his hand that was holding the binder began to shake with nerves. "M-my names Gil Grissom, I'm new here,"

Catherine remained speechless, seeing his piercing blue eyes twinkle and his baby face complexion reddening with embarrassment. Catherine smiled, her eyes following every curve of this young, handsome god before her. She then turned her head towards Sara scowling at her best friend who was trying to hold back a laugh thinking this whole scene was comical; Catherine Willows bewitched by the new kid.

"I'm Sara and this mime here is Catherine, we're heading towards our chem class. Where are you going?" Sara replied, knowing that if they stood their any longer in silence time would stand still.

Gil had never laid eyes on such a beautiful creature as Catherine before. He loved her long, flowing blonde hair, piercing blue green eyes and pouty lips. She had the smile of an angel and the body of a goddess in which the white tank top and short mini skirt accented her bodily advantages. Catherine was like one of the ladies he dreamed about meeting, a lady that if he was afraid if he met, he would be at a loss of words. Just like now. It took him a moment to realize Catherine's equally attractive friend Sara that she had asked him a question that he should respond too before he appears to be dumb, deaf and mute.

"I'm, oh I'm," Gil stuttered as he pulled out a crumpled up ball of paper that was his schedule. "My next class, is ah, is Biology, Room 306." He finally spat out, the schedule shaking in his trembling hands. He could feel the warm paper begin to cling to his perpetrating hands and could feel how flushed his cheeks were.

"Cool! Bio is one of our favourite classes right Cath?" Sara stated giving the mute girl beside her a small nudge in the shoulder, hoping to grab her attention.

"Huh, oh yeah Bio is one of my favourite classes." Catherine muttered, twirling a piece of hair in around her finger, "Except, we have it in the morning." Catherine whispered, turning her eyes away and feeling the fire spread across her cheeks.

The final bell rang, vibrating throughout the hallway. That five minutes felt like an eternity, and now, they were all going to be late for class.

"Shit! That was the bell, now we're going to be late," Sara pulled on Catherine's arm to point her towards their classroom. "Bye Gil, I think I speak for both of us when I say we hope to see you at the football game this weekend!" She called down the hall, dragging her friend behind her.

Catherine smiled and turned, jogging down the hall and turning the corner, leaving Gil standing in the once again empty halls of Horseshoe Valley High.

Gil smiled, clutching his binder tight to his chest and walking down the hall, hoping he was going in the right direction. "I wouldn't miss any chance to see you again Catherine." He muttered under his breath, once again focusing on finding his classroom.

**- Present Day -**

"Oh my God, I am going to murder that little rat! I cannot believe Greg just brought that up!" Sara screeched, slamming her coffee cup down on the counter with authority. "He knows how much Catherine has been trying to erase that out of her life."

"You should hunt him down and cause cruel and unusual punishment Sidle." Nick replied with a snicker.

"Don't do that," Catherine muttered from the couch as all eyes fell on her, She looked up at Sara and smirked, "Greg might actually enjoy it." She retorted, getting up off the couch and sauntering over to the table.

Everyone watched her as she reached across Grissom, her eyes falling upon her boss, seeing the intensity in his own blue hue, anticipating what was going to happen. She picked up a red apple from the weave basket in the middle of the table, tossing it playfully from one hand to the other as she circled the break room, her mind lost in thought, wondering what to do to get back at the young Greg. It was apparent to everyone in the room that Catherine was pissed, she was seething with anger and rightfully so, Greg had no right bringing up anything, especially something as delicate as The Pink Flamingo's. Everyone in that room knew what The Pink Flamingo's was referring too and it was not a happy subject for any of them.

"Cath? What are you thinking about?" Nick asked, his eyes never leaving the older blonde.

In the spur of the moment, without a single word, Catherine, gripped the apple and threw it as hard as a pitcher would throw a curve ball at an unsuspecting batter towards the glass door to the break room. Instead of bouncing off the glass the apple splattered, creating applesauce and cracked the glass. Everyone jumped and the technicians in the adjoining labs turned to stare at the pissed off criminalist in the break room. Catherine could feel the tears brimming in her eyes, her vision beginning to blur as she grabbed the handle to the door and stormed out of the break room. She stomped down the hallway towards the women's washroom, her cheeks flaring red and Sara could make out the clear streak that was coating her skin.

"I-I'll go check on her, you guys can clean up the apple sauce and maybe call maintenance about getting that window replaced before Ecklie had a heart attack." Sara said, leaving the break room and jogging down the hall in the direction Catherine had gone.

Grissom turned and looked at Nick and Warrick, then shifted his eyes to the mess of apple smear dribbling down the pane of cracked glass. Both Nick and Warrick knew what their boss was implying shaking their heads no, but Gil was not going to hear of it.

"Man Griss, why do we have to clean it up? You should make Sanders do it! He was the one who started all of this." Nick moaned getting down on his hands and knees to be eye level with the apple mush as a towel was thrown in his face.

"I agree, but do you see that little creep around here because I sure the hell don't." Grissom grumbled, furious with the irrational and immature actions of both Catherine and Greg.

"Griss, no offense but you really have to tell Cath how you feel." Warrick said, joining his friend on the floor, slopping up applesauce. "I mean, getting mad at us about the apple fiasco or Sanders is not going to get you and her any closer."

Silence ensued as Nick looked up from the floor and noticed his boss was no longer in the room, "Great job Rick, now you've pissed off the boss." He sighed, grimacing at the apple as he tossed it in the near by trash can.

- **Meanwhile -**

Catherine busted through the swing door of the women's bathroom, stalking past Mandy, the fingerprint tech who was adjusting her hair in the mirror, her heels clicking against the tiled floor as she went to the furthest stall. She slammed the metal door shut behind her, making Mandy jump at the counter when she heard the lock snap. Mandy, usually quite and conservative girl, was about to go and see if her colleague was okay when Sara came barging through the washroom. Sara smiled at Mandy, who pointed down the hall to the far stall and quietly slipped out of the women's washroom.

"Cat?" Sara whispered as she looked at her co-worker put her heeled feet up on the toilet seat so they wouldn't be noticeable under the stall door. "I already know you are in here, Mandy gave you up." She snickered hoping that would lift her spirits.

"Go away," Catherine muttered, her voice sounding squeaky, like that of a per-pubescent teen girl.

Sara huffed, standing in front of the last stall door, she leaned against the cool brick wall, slowly sliding her body down until she was sitting on the disgusting tile floor, staring at the puke green stall door in front of her. "Ecklie is going to have your neck for that window you broke you know,"

Catherine grunted, her make up splotchy and her cheeks inflamed. She could see Sara's black slacks on the floor in front of her, knowing her best friend was not going to budge from that spot until she made an appearance. "Get Sanders to pay for it, it's his fault it happened anyways."

"Agreed, but you were the one that threw the apple in the end love,"

"I still cannot believe that I just did that! What am I twelve." Catherine muttered, lowering her feet down from the toilet seat she was sitting on and grabbing some toilet paper to dab her eyes.

"The apple? Or getting upset?" Sara asked with a smirk which she hopped Catherine was able to see through the metal door between them.

Catherine stood, unlocking the door as it swung open a smirk on her lips as she tried to dab the make up off her cheeks, "Both, but really the getting upset part is worse. I have worked how many cases at strip clubs, including The Pink Flamingo's and never have I gotten this upset over the mere mention of the name."

"Well, I didn't want to bring anything up, but since Greg went and kinda let the cat out of the bag, we are approaching a very um, touchy time of the year." Sara said as they approached the vanity, leaning against the towel dispenser as she watched Catherine freshen up as best she could.

Catherine ran the cold water, wetting a paper towel and proceeded to scrub the make-up that was on her face, loving how refreshing the water felt against her heated skin. She was not cluing into what Sara was eluding to with her cryptic tone and sentence. It was June, hottest month on record in Vegas, there was no ones birthday's to celebrate or anniversaries to remember. What the hell was her friend talking about. Catherine looked at Sara through the mirror and could see the frown on her lips and the darkness that rounded her eyes.

"Sara? What are you talking about?" She asked, tossing the used paper towel in the trash and running her fingers through her flattened blonde curls.

"Well, this is around the time we actually got our jobs at The Pink Flamingo's so many years ago, when stuff sorta began to fall apart, between you and I." Sara explained, gripping Catherine's shoulder, "I know it was a long time ago, but maybe that is why Greg's outburst effected you on such an, emotional level."

Catherine turned off the taps, wiping her hands on the paper towel, her eyes never leaving Sara. How could she have forgotten about their falling out, about all the bad that went along with the good in their senior year at Horseshoe Valley High. The Pink Flamingo's was just the tip of the iceberg for some of the things that began to take place in the last few months of their high school lives. She turned back from the counter and wrapped her arms around Sara, hugging her close, close enough to smell the strawberries in her hair from the shampoo she used in the morning. She then looked at Sara and smiled, her blue eyes brightening once more.

"I remember Sara, and I have a plan on getting Sander's back for dampening the mood, care to partake in a bit of revenge?" Catherine said with a snicker, knowing her best friend was always up for playing a prank on their resident lab rat.

- **Fifteen**** Years Prior - **

Gil had finally made it to his class and by looking down at his watch he was only a mere ten minutes late, which was pretty good all things considered. He pushed open the wooden door as the class looked up from their papers all at once, as if robotic drones and stared intently at Gil. The teacher who was a young blonde looked away from the chalkboard at at Gil standing in the doorway, unsure of what to do. She smiled, and her appearance reminded Gil of Catherine, so much that in fact he could feel his cheeks blushing once more with embarrassment. He hated being the centre of attention and right now, he was the most interesting specimen in this biology class.

"Can I help you?" The young teacher stated as she approached Gil, seeing the schedule in this out stretched hand. She grabbed the paper and looked at the name, "Class, I would like to introduce our new student, Gilbert Grissom. Please make him feel comfortable and welcome Gilbert to Grade 13 biology."

Gil quickly nodded as he skirted around tables full of students to the one in the back that looked to have an open spot. He could hear the young girls at the front left table giggling and pointing at the new kid but right now Gil didn't care, all he wanted was for the teacher to resume her lesson and for him to once again blend in with the crowd. He was a little skeptical to be seated with three jocks, all wearing football jersey's in a royal blue with white lettering on them. Jocks were usually a safe bet to be picked on when being the new kid, but doing a preliminary scan of the room proved their to be no other seat available he had no choice. He slid into the empty seat, plopping his books down on the table and trying to stay focused on the biology lesson being given. It was proving difficult since mere thought of football made his heat jump a beat at the memory of Catherine.

"Hey new kid," the brown haired guy to Gil's right said, nudging him in the shoulder.

"H-hi" Gil whispered giving the three men a nervous smile.

"I'm Nick Stokes and this tough guy is Warrick Brown" he said, pointing towards the tall black guy, "And this is Greg Sanders, he's sarcastic, so don't take what he says too seriously,"

Gil smiled at Nick's last comment, seeing that Greg was a little hurt by Nick's description of him. He began to relax, seeing that these three boys were not like the typical, run of the mill jock Gil had made sure to steer clear of his last four years of high school. The teacher was still talking about DNA, a subject Gil was already well versed in through reading in his spare time so, he did not find himself missing too important of a lecture at the moment.

"We want you to be in our group Gilbert, you're going to need people like us to get you all the beautiful women and, into the hottest parties." Greg proposed seeing Gil's eyes light up at him saying 'beautiful women'.

"For starters you should go to the football game that's happening this weekend." Warrick piped up, his blue eyes twinkling in the florescent light of the classroom. "You can chill in the stands and watch our smokin' cheerleaders, especially Catherine Willows and Sara Sidle, god they are beautiful creatures."

Gil could feel his cheeks beginning to redden at the mention of Catherine's name. He tried to copy out the diagram the teacher had on the black board, but his hand was trembling too much.

"You could also watch the game, but the girls are probable more exciting." Nick said and saw the blush appear on Grissom's face. "You're turning all red on us Gilbert, did you have something on your mind?"

"N-nothing, but you can call me Gil, no one has called me Gilbert since I was five." Gil replied, closing his eyes hoping that images of DNA strands would fill his brain but instead it was Catherine's smile and her perfect body jumping around with pompoms.

"You fancy one of the cheerleaders don't you?" Greg pried.

"Fancy? What are we in Victorian times?" Nick said scoffing at Greg.

Grissom kept his mouth shut but knew his cheeks were only getting redder as time ticked on. Was he that transparent? He was always considered a ghost in the halls of the school but, he never knew his emotions would be so apparent to everyone around him especially, when he finally interacted with a member of the opposite sex. There was no point in trying to fake it, it was clearly obvious he was pining over someone, and science, who he always claimed to be 'his lady' was not a sufficient distraction today. Catherine was on his mind and quite frankly, he never wanted her to leave it.

"You do! Which one?" Nick squawked desperately wanting the new kid to dish the goods.

"Is it Sara? Because you know I love Sara, and she loves me." Greg stated becoming territorial, puffing out his chest as if he was a male bird.

"How can she love you, if she doesn't even know you like her?" Warrick questioned while Nick and even Grissom couldn't help but muffle a laugh. "Is it Catherine?" He then asked as the whole table went silent in anticipation once more.

Grissom abruptly stopped laughing, again breaking eye contact from the guys around him. He was not sure if he should say anything, they were on the football team after all, they could tell Catherine that the geeky new kid has a puppy dog crush on her and they could all laugh about it around a football practice or something. That would not only be embarrassing for himself but, would also blow any possibility of a chance with Catherine in the near or far future. On the flip side, they all did say they were his 'friend' and friends don't go behind one another's back and ruin chances with girls, do they? There was a bro code about this or something wasn't there? Gil had never really had any friends growing up, except for his insects, but, he had read in a book that "your true friends don't tell other people your secrets", or something like that.

"Yes," Gil sighed and looked from one guy to the next, "It's Catherine" He confessed watching all of their mouths hang open and eyes wide.

"Dude, it's your first day at this school and you've already met one of the hottest girls for miles! Awesome!" Nick stated slapping Gil on the back, "I mean she's hotter than the Nevada desert, and much more appetizing on the eyes."

"How did you meet her?" Greg asked skeptical. No one could be that lucky, even in Las Vegas.

"Well, I helped pick up her books that she dropped on the floor, that's all."

"You just _happened_ to run into her in the middle of the hallway? Dude, not even people that gamble every day in the casino's here get that good of odds." Warrick commented and smiled, hoping to lighten the mood. Gil returned one and then caught the evil eye from the teacher at the front of the class.

"Excuse me gentlemen" the Biology teacher said as the boys stopped, their eyes casted down to their unopened books, "Gilbert, I know this your first day but do you mind paying attention, as for you Mr. Brown, Mr. Stokes and Mr. Sanders, I believe your candid behaviour is wearing off on the new kid."

All four of them began to blush and apologized not only to teacher but also the rest of the class who seemed to all be staring at them with irritated looks on their faces. With the exception being the table of girls at the front, giggling at the guys in the back. All of them bowed their heads in embarrassment and looked down flipping open their text books and following along. The Biology teacher smiled and resumed her lecture on DNA.

-\-

The final bell of the day rang throughout the halls of Horseshoe Valley high as Sara and Catherine, made their way back to their lockers, grabbed their book bags and pushed their way through the crowds to go back out into the sweltering Nevada heat. Catherine kept scanning the crowds of people in hopes that she would be able to catch a glimpse of the new kid Gil and ask him to the football game, but their was no such luck. Once outside the ladies began their 10 minute walk to Sara's house, where they would get ready for the football practice that was to take place at 4pm, giving them enough time to walk back over to the school. The whole way to Sara's Catherine's mind was distracted with thoughts of Gil, which was not good for the plain fact that she already had a boyfriend. Sara was going on and on about how unfair their chemistry teacher was being with these group assignments in the following week that Catherine was treating her rant as white noise.

"Hello, earth to Catherine?" Sara stated, waving her hand in front of Catherine's face to snap her out of her funk.

Catherine shook her head and smiled at Sara who was unlocking the front door to her house, "Sorry, I was distracted, What did you say?" She asked innocently, adding a smile for good measure.

"Nothing, just wanted to get your head out of the clouds, what were you thinking about anyways?"

"Our routine, just going over it in my head before practice."

Sara rolled her eyes as she pushed open her front door and tossed her book bag on the floor, Catherine doing the same. "Yeah, sure, it was Gil wasn't it? You were thinking about the geeky boy who helped you with your books!" Sara teased with a snicker as Catherine playfully punched her in the shoulder, "I'm right! Catherine Willows has a crush, stop the presses!" Sara yelled throughout the empty house and dashed up the stairs towards her room, Catherine right on her heels.

"Shut up Sarbear! I do NOT have a crush, he was being nice in helping me with my books and I never got a chance to say thank-you properly," Catherine lied with a heavy sigh, knowing that her transparent lie was not going to fool her best friend.

"_Catherine and Gil sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"_ Sara sand while jumping up and down on her bed, Catherine's face went beat red with embarrassment as she shot a pillow at her friends face, smacking her in the mouth to stop her from singing. It only prolonged the inevitable, "_First come's love then come's marriage then come's a baby in a baby carriage!"_ She finished before erupting into a fit of laughter as Catherine snatched her cheer leading uniform and stalked off into the bathroom, slamming the door shut.

Sara winched as she sat down on her bed, flipping through her endless mound of CD's to find the perfect one for them to get ready too. "I'm Sorry Kit Kat, here I will play you a song to cheer you up." Sara called as she put her 'Rock Stead', _No Doubt_ CD in and cranked the volume, Gwen Stefani's sing-song voice filled the room.

Catherine heard her favourite song to get herself ready too vibrate through the walls as she smiled, standing up from the toilet seat she was perched on and began to undress, swinging her hips in time in the beat. After she was dressed in her cheer leading uniform, her blonde hair pinned back away from her face and cold water splashed on her reddened cheeks she was singing along, hearing Sara doing the same on the other side of the door. Catherine gave herself a once over from top to bottom, smiling, hoping that Gil was going to be up in the stands if not while they were at practice, at least at the football game this weekend. She would do anything to see that boyish smile once more.

* * *

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Growing Pains **

**Chapter Two **

**- Fifteen Years Prior -**

The school always had an eerie feeling to it after hours. The halls where no more than forty-five minutes prior, were littered with students, papers and bags. Now they were barren, it was so quiet that Catherine could hear her heels clicking against the tiled floor as they echoed down the halls. Sara looked at her watch and saw that it was ten minutes to four, they were a little early, but still at this time Stacey and Bridgette were at least in the hall waiting for them and practicing their moves. Right now it was only the two of them in the whole school so it seemed and that thought alone was beginning to creep them out.

"Maybe they're already out on the field warming up?" Sara suggested and Catherine shrugged her shoulders, watching as the lights above them began to flicker and the incessant buzzing sound of the fluorescent lights above them seemed to be getting louder.

"That would be the only logical place." Catherine replied when suddenly they stopped in the middle of the hall.

All of the lights went out, engulfing them in complete darkness. Catherine clung to Sara's hand, feeling how sweaty their palms had gone as they tried to adjust their eyes to the black abyss.

"S-Sara?" Catherine whispered.

"Y-yeah?" Sara replied, just as frightened as Catherine was.

"What's going on?"

Just then a loud beeping sound came from the ceiling as both girls jumped. It took them a moment to realize that it was the PA system. Every time they hear those three obnoxious beeps it means that someone is going to announce something. Both girls hoped that it was an emergency message telling them what was happening, maybe a power outage or an electrical storm but, instead it was a loud and evil laugh erupting throughout the empty, dark hallways. It echoed over the girl's heads causing them to shake in place. They shuffled their bodies closer together, not sure of what to make of the situation they were now involved in, feeling like this was a horror movie, or a sick prank that was taken a little too far.

The laughing continued as a bashing sound came from the other end of the hall. Someone was beating the metal lockers with a baseball bat. It was getting louder and louder, coming right for Sara and Catherine. It started on the left and then to the right of them, also in front and finally behind. They were being surrounded down the hallway and slowly making their way towards Sara and Catherine. Something was banging and knocking against the metal locker doors getting louder and louder. All the while the foreboding laughter was still being echoed above them.

Suddenly, just as quickly as the halls went dark the lights flickered back on as Sara and Catherine shut their eyes to adjust to the sudden burst of light. The banging seized and the laughing dissipated from the PA system above. When they opened their eyes, their bodies no longer rigid with fear, they could see the entire cheer leading squad and senior football team standing around them in a semi-circle giggling and pointing at the petrified girls. Sara and Catherine both wanted to beat up every sing one of them for playing the very cruel and sick joke. It was customary for the cheerleaders and the football team to gang up and do pranks every once in a while, but nothing as big as the production they just put on.

Catherine and Sara felt so embarrassed, they could feel the fire emitting from their cheeks and their eyes well with tears that neither of them dared to let fall. That would just push them all over the edge. They let go of each others hand, wiping the sweat on their skirts and folding their arms across their chests, scowling at every one of them for their childish behaviour.

"Very funny guys!" Sara screamed into the crowd trying to sound pissed off.

"Actually it was," a mans voice could be heard from near the back of the crowd. A voice both of them recognized so well, and was the one who was probably in charge of this elaborate farce.

The group of people slowly divided to allow the master through. Catherine looked up from her hands and saw that it was no other than her boyfriend and star quarterback of the Vegas Lions, Jeff Petersen. She should have known he was the one behind it, only his twisted mind would think of something that scary to pull on his own girlfriend. Catherine scowled at Jeff, shoving the middle finger in his face as he approached the two of them, the cheerleaders still giggling like silly school girls. Sara knew that Jeff had never experienced Catherine extremely pissed off, and if there was one thing you needed to know about Catherine it was that you never, under any circumstances, piss her off.

"Hey their sugar lips," Jeff said soothingly leaning in on Catherine, lips puckered, ready for a kiss.

Instead of returning the favour Catherine took a step back and slapped Jeff hard across the face, leaving a red welt in the shape of her hand on his left cheek. The crowd let out a loud "ooh", wincing in pain seeing their start quarter back fall to his knees on the hall floor.

"Cunt," Jeff muttered under his breath, but everyone could still hear it echo in the silent hallway as they all looked to Catherine to see what was going to happen next.

Catherine despised that word. It was a word that she thought was reserved for the worst of women, one of which she was not. Jeff and her had been on rocky terms recently, ever since spring break when she caught him making out with another girl down on the beach to their friends summer house in Miami. He promised it meant nothing and would never do it again, which was true, but his attitude towards her changed drastically. He was becoming more of an asshole every day, taking Catherine for granted in hopes that no matter what he did to her she would stick around. This prank, it was the last straw. She was not worth being the arm candy to the biggest asshole in school, she had standards and morals, and damn right she was going to defend them this every moment. Catherine swung her left leg around, doing a spin kick as the side of her left foot collided with Jeff's right eye, sending him to the ground once more. He dropped to his knees and glanced up to see the evil glare in Catherine's eyes, and the wicked smile on her lips.

"You can kiss your girlfriend good-bye," Catherine spat, spitting on his face. "Actually don't even think about taking that literally or," She grabbed his shirt collar, squatting down to be eye level with him, looking him dead in the eye. "I'll cut your balls off with my car keys, are we clear?" She threatened under her breath as Jeff nodded.

Catherine shoved him to the ground when she let go of his collar, stepping on his abdomen as she walked out of the circle, Sara followed close behind, stifling a laugh at their star quarterback down for the count because of a cheerleader. Both of them pushed past the crowd of onlookers that were now silent and afraid to engage in any type of conversation with Catherine or Sara. When they were out of sight they all turned their heads back to Jeff who was staggering to his feet, two other cheerleaders coming to his 'rescue' and inspect his injuries.

He shoved them off, wiping the spit from his face, "Yeah, well, I wanted it to be over anyways Catherine!" Jeff yelled down the hall, wincing from the kick to his eye.

His nostrils began to flare when he noticed Catherine raising the middle finger once more before walking out the double doors and onto the football field.

* * *

T.B.C.


	3. Chapter 3

**Growing Pains **

**Chapter Three **

**- Fifteen Years Later -**

"Are you ready to get back at slime ball Sanders?" Sara asked with a snicker as she watched her friend throw the last of her balled up paper towels in the trash can.

"You know, I really have no idea why you were so interested in him back in high school." Catherine replied, turning from the mirror to see the blush creeping on Sara's cheeks, "_Sara and Greg sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"_ Catherine sang as she pushed open the door to the women's washroom, both of them giggling as the fond memories of singing that song to one another when they were kids.

However, when Sara spotted Grissom standing there, hovering outside of the women's bathroom as if he was some sort of peeping tom, the laughter and kindred spirits in them died. Grissom on the other hand was confused and he could feel a blush creeping across his cheeks. It was obvious that he was coming to check on Catherine, even though his approach was unorthodox, the sentiment was still there. It was quite obvious, as Warrick pointed out in the break room after Catherine made her dramatic exit, that Gil liked Catherine as more than a _good friend_. He was too scared to do anything about it, he had been that way since he blew his chance in high school, never really recovering from the humiliation. Sara and Catherine had stayed good friends for so long, it was obvious that she was made aware of his puppy dog crush, but maybe, if he could get Sara alone, maybe he could find out if Catherine felt the same way and if she did, then he could make his move.

"Hey there Grissom," Sara said, nudging Catherine in the gut and nodding her head towards Gil, giving her the window of opportunity to do something about this.

"Uh, hey, sorry, I-" Gil mumbled, trying to force himself to stop talking since he kept sounding lie a complete bone head.

Sara smiled, realizing that he was shy, and probably wanted to speak to Catherine alone, which made sense. He must know by now that Catherine and Sara talk about everything after shift over a few beers down at Bar 911, it was a tradition since they started working together at LVPD on the graveyard shift, even Greg was not left in the dark about these plans. She shifted her glance from Grissom back to Catherine seeing that her friend was in just as much of a daze as Gil. It was like the incident in the hall back at Horseshoe Valley High all over again.

Sara leaned into Catherine's ear and whispered something and then squeezed her shoulder, walking off from the two awestruck elders of the group. As Sara walked off left she looking back once to see them both looking longingly into each others eyes, but still not moving a muscle. They looked like manikins in a department store. Sara shook her head and headed back towards the break room maybe there she could engage herself in an interesting conversation with Nick and Warrick, maybe even make a, proposition on a course of events over the next few hours...

As soon as Sara turned the corner and was no longer within ear's reach of their conversation Gil let out a deep breath. He looked up from the tile floor seeing Catherine still standing in front of him, her blue eyes inviting and her soft lips curled into a smile. How was he to know they were actually soft lips, he can't talk to her, outside of work that is, how the hell would he of kissed her. He noticed that her make up was gone, but that didn't bother him, he always felt she applied too much anyways, without ever telling her that of course. She was a natural beauty, and she still looked youthful and vibrant, even after having a child, a divorce and dealing with death on a nightly basis.

"Hey, are you alright?" Catherine asked, resting her hand on his shoulder, feeling his muscles twitch beneath her skin.

"I'm fine, are you okay? You looked very pissed off when you stomped out of the break room." Gil responded, quickly adding a smile.

Catherine sighed, rolling her eyes, "I'm fine, I promise, just, Greg, he can be a real ass when he wants to be."

"Yeah, I need to have a talk with that boy, but before I did, I wanted to make sure you were okay, but since, well you went into the women's washroom, I uh, I couldn't exactly follow." Gil stopped; she did not want to go back down that road it was obvious in her eyes.

"You could have, then we could have chatted on the plush pink cushions to the couch and sipped a glass of champagne each." Catherine replied sarcastically, giggling in hopes to lighten the mood, she could tell by the confused expression on Gil's face he was not getting it. "I'm kidding Grissom, sheesh."

"Oh, well, uh,"

"Spit it out Grissom," Catherine replied beginning to get impatient.

"I um, I," Grissom mumbled. He was at a loss of words, not that even if he wanted to, he could say what was screaming in the back of his mind.

Catherine sighed shaking her head and patting her boss on the shoulder. She knew that he would never spit it out. She would be here for years before he actually got up the courage to make a complete sentence around her anymore, it was as if he had forgotten the English language, like he had gone back to his high school self all over again. However, she shouldn't talk, recently she had been acting the same way around him, it must be something in the air. Catherine walked past him, the first few steps were awkward, but then she got past him and headed towards the locker room.

Grissom let out a huge sigh when he was alone in the small alcove to the women's washroom, bashing his head against the cool brick wall. He felt like punching himself in the face, he deserved to be chastised for what just happened between the two of them. Why could he not for the life of him, just tell her that he was wanting to respond with _we could go to my place for drinks, if you want?_ Why was it so hard from him to express his true feelings towards her? They used to the best of friends, could share anything with one another and not have this sexual, romantic undertone connected to it. Now it's just awkward between the two of them, each getting tongue-tied and at a loss for words. It takes them forever to complete an actual conversation.

"Excuse me!" A lady snapped from behind Grissom, it scared him so much that he jumped.

At first Gil thought it was Catherine who had come back for some strange reason. Instead it was one of the lab technicians, Gil wasn't sure of her name, but it was obvious that she was annoyed with a man being in her way to the women's washroom. Her long blonde hair and blue eyes resembled Catherine to a tee, she could have passed as an older, more stuck up version of Catherine's daughter Lindsey. He mumbled and apology under his breath and moved to the sidewall and let the woman pass. As the swing door shut he had made up his mind. He was going to tell Catherine his feelings, no matter how long or how painful it was going to be. This has gone far enough and long enough, however, before he takes the plunge he needs to get some helpful advice from the one who would know her best;Sara Sidle.

* * *

T.B.C


	4. Chapter 4

**Growing Pains**

**Chapter Four **

**- Fifteen Years Prior - **

Sara and Catherine were seated on the cold, metal, bleachers out surrounding on the football field. They were surrounded by the rest of the cheer leading squad, back in the girls good grace's after it was made apparent that Jeff had coaxed them all into pulling that prank on Catherine and Sara. Of course the girls would have used even half their brains to see that it was a bad moon rising, but still, Catherine did not want to have to buck heads with the rest of the squad for the remainder of her senior year. This was her year to have fun, she has been working her ass off to get into colleges, submitting applications and whatnot, no boy, especially a jerk like Jeff, was going to destroy what remained of her high school career. The girls had finished their practice, getting to use the field before the senior football team took it over to do their practice. The heat was sweltering however the clouds above were hinting that it might rain, and when it rains in Vegas it down pours.

The group of girls were watching and giggling at the young senior football players tacking either other, running laps and doing push ups. There muscular bodies gleaming in sweat under the Vegas heat. It was a constant conga line to the water cooler in between plays to keep them keeling over in this heat. Sara rolled her eyes at Catherine's childish gestures towards Jeff in particular, sporting his number "47" jersey and being tackled by a team mate, the sound of his body hitting the ground could be heard from the bleachers. Sara looked behind her to see if Gil had made an appearance and her smile widened when she saw the lone boy up at the top bench, head bent down in a book and cheeks as red as their pom poms. Sara turned back around seeing that all the girls, besides Catherine, were talking about how great the guys would look without their jersey's on and doing their push ups and tackles. Catherine instead had spaced out, her blue eyes looking almost cloudy as Sara gave her a slight nudge in the shoulder, whisking her out of the dreamland.

Catherine turned to her best friend, taking her eyes away from the men down on the field that she was not focusing on at all, instead she was thinking about Gil, how she wished he was here to talk to, and she had to admit, even make Jeff down there a little pointed with her finger to the bleacher up at the very top as Catherine followed Sara's finger and came face to face with Grissom, the man she was just thinking about. She quickly turned away, feeling her cheeks pink afraid Gil could see her through the pages in his insect book. She didn't want to admit it, especially around the other cheerleaders, but she did have a small puppy dog crush on the 'new kid'. It was a bit awkward since this was the second time she had came in contact with him, in one day actually, she didn't want to seem overbearing, however both were by accident and both were in the same day. It had to mean something, didn't it?

"Go up there and talk to him," Sara whispered nudging Catherine again.

"Okay, okay if it will get you to stop nudging me." Catherine replied and stood up. "I'll be right back girls," Catherine addressed the group as she brushed the creases out of her mini skirt and let out a deep breath, feeling the sweat build on her palms.

Catherine walked up the bleachers, holding down the ends of her skirt with her hands as the breeze became stronger with every step she took. The last thing she wanted to do was to show Gil her hot pink underwear. Her eyes never left his face, that was still buried in his book, not even noticing that Catherine, let along a girl, was approaching him. When she finally made it up to his bleacher, she took a seat, smoothing out the bottom of skirt and getting as close to him as possible. It was obvious that if she were any closer, Catherine would have sat on his lap. She glanced back down at the bottom of the stand, looking at the cheerleaders who had abandoned their conversation about the hottest football player and were intrigued by Catherine's quest to speak to the 'new kid'. They, and who wouldn't, found the soap opera between Gil and Catherine more enjoyable and better for gossip tomorrow in the halls, than the jocks. They looked like robots, there blonde hair back in ponytails and blue green eyes staring, patiently waiting to watch some drama unfold.

"Hey Gil," Catherine said turning her eyes away from her Barbie friends. She hoped that Gil would notice her and her smile.

Gil realized Catherine was sitting beside him, which was why he was staring blankly at the picture of the maggot on the page for the past five minutes at least. He could smell the scent of her perfume as she ascended the stairs, strawberries, it wafted in his nostrils and he knew right away that it was her. She was so close; the could touch her if he wanted to. He did want to, he was just too scared, especially with the whole cheer leading squad and senior football team made aware of their interaction on the bleachers. Out of the corner of his eye he could see that Catherine looked like a Greek goddess. Gil didn't want to look over at her, he knew he would be at a loss of words, and this time in a public place, with her friends and the jocks in ear shot. He would be the laughing stock of Vegas.

"What is that book your reading?" Catherine asked, becoming nervous that he wouldn't actually respond.

Gil wanted to reply but his tongue was like a brick in his mouth, stuck to the roof of his mouth. If he did manage to speak words they would be nonsensical and begin to stutter. He could still smell the sweet scent of her perfume and he loved it, wanting to capture it and submerse himself in it all the time. In the corner of his eye he could see Catherine's smile, how radiant she looked even with her blonde hair blowing in the breeze. His eyes were trying to stay trained on the development process of maggots, but failing horribly and instead they were roaming to her short skirt and low cut top, exposing the skin he wanted to brush with his fingers and kiss with his lips. A tingling sensation was surging through his body, making him feel numb all over. Gil wanted to plant a kiss on her lips and have an actual civil conversation with her, without wetting his pants. He had never talked to a girl before in his entire life, afraid that he would bore her and then she would eventually loose interest in him. His bug collections, maggot farm, flea circus and racing beetle would gross her out. Gil had always been what people consider a 'loner' and placing his shyness in books and bugs. All throughout his childhood he had stayed close to his mother, who was deaf and was not a people person. When he turned fifteen he got his first job at the county morgue and would rather be with the dead than the living. Gil would attend boxing matches to study blood spatter from the blows the fighters would take in the ring. He would play poker with his mother and her friends to study human behaviour.

Catherine was beginning to get fed as she met eyes with Sara and shrugged her shoulders. Did she mistake the connection they had earlier today in the hall? Was this the most awkward thing she had ever been involved in. She felt like she was talking to a brick wall. Catherine had a feeling that he was just shy and didn't want to say anything embarrassing and she understood that, but, he was making her look like an idiot.

"I-I guess I'll talk to you later then." Catherine whispered, getting up off of the cold metal bleacher. She headed back down towards her group of friends that were stifling their laughs as the look of confusion and hurt was masked on her face.

Grissom knew that he had blown it big time. That may be his only chance to make up for it, and he better make it count. The last thing he wanted was for the love of his life to walk away. He wished he could be more outgoing, he wished he would be more like Warrick or Nick. He lifted his head up from his bug diagram and called;

"Catherine!"

She stopped in mid stride at the sound of Grissom's sweet voice from behind. She smiled, her eyes lightening up once more as she spun on her heel, placing both of her feet firmly on the metal bench. Maybe he wasn't the coward she thought he was. Gil talking to her was a dream come true. Maybe asking him out would not be such a shot in the dark.

"Yes?" she answered.

_Now or never Grissom_, he thought. "Good luck this weekend, I look forward to watching the game!" He called and smiled to cover his nervousness.

He had done it; he had spoken to Catherine Willows. Gil's inner God is jumping up and down, doing a victory dance at the accomplishment he just pulled off. Quickly he ducked his head back into his book to hide his flushed cheeks hoping that the heat from outside was what was making him turn beat red.

"Thanks, see you Saturday." Catherine replied and turned back towards her friends, hoping down the remaining bleachers and resuming her spot beside Sara.

-\-

Down on the football field the players were doing their usual laps around the field, finishing off their grueling practice. Greg and Warrick were huffing and puffing, running at the same pace beside one another. Sweat had leached through their jerseys as the Vegas sun beat down on the players roasting them from the inside out. The two men looked up at the stands to see Catherine sitting up with Gil, and Gil seeming like he was not interested in her at all. Greg shook his head at his friends shyness and nudged Warrick for him to take a look at what was happening before them. Warrick couldn't help but smile and then shake his head at the group of cheerleaders watching the scene like a group of vultures getting ready to dive bomb on their next meal.

"Damn, we need to teach Gil a few things about being in the presence of a beautiful woman such as Catherine," Warrick stated as they turned a corner in the field.

"That's for sure!" Greg agreed and caught another glance of Sara sitting pretty in her cheer leading uniform. "Hey do you ever notice how sexy Sara looks in her cheer leading uniform?" He stated, looking as if he were about to drool over her like a dog.

"You've never noticed that before Greg? I mean, I noticed and I'm not the one obsessed with her." Warrick replied and Greg playfully punched his friend in the bicep.

"Shut up man,"

Both men kept their eyes trained on the top bleacher where history could potentially be, being made. It was a very rare occurrence that a cheerleader, especially one as beautiful and popular as Catherine, would go out of their way to talk to the geeky new kid. It was practically social suicide if the outcome was not going to favour the popular one. Both jocks watched as Catherine frowned, abandoning her attempt to interact with Grissom as she began her long walk back towards the wolfs lair to be gawked and pointed at by her cheer leading companions.

"I guess Cat gave up. I don't blame her, I would have gave up five minutes ago." Greg replied, rounding the next corner on the field.

Warrick looked up at the bleachers again, and noticed that Catherine stopped midway down the bleachers. He hit Greg on the shoulder as they both stopped and watched the scene unfold. Gil had actually gotten enough courage to say something to Catherine, the smile that appeared on her lips told them that whatever it was it made her happy, more then happy actually. Gil quickly ducked his head back into his book but it was obvious even from the football field that he had a bright red blush on his cheeks. A total love connection had commenced and the guys would do what needed to be done to make sure it blossomed into more than just a puppy dog crush.

"Damn, did you just see that! I wonder what he said to her?" Warrick asked.

"I take it back, he defiantly does know how to seduce the ladies." Greg admitted as he felt a large sack in between his shoulders, almost knocking him off his feet. Greg turned to see who it was, and sighed when it was none other than Jeff.

"Come on Sanders! Stop gawkin' and start runnin'!" Jeff said and breezed on by laughing.

"Hey Jeff." Warrick called, catching the mans attention. "How was it being beat up by Catherine?" Jeff stopped running his nostrils flaring.

"Yeah, are you still capable of having children?" Greg added stifling a laugh.

"Don't start Brown!" Jeff replied and glared at Greg, "And you! Shut up before I make you!"

"Oh I'm shaking in my booties. I'm really terrified of a man who was beat up by a cheerleader; _head_ cheerleader to be exact."

That was the straw that broke the camels back. Jeff came charging back towards Greg and Warrick, head down and arms stretched out as if ready to tackle, and tackle is exactly what he just did however, Warrick was a bit faster and was able to step out of the way, while Greg extended out his foot in which Jeff tripped over and face planted onto the turf as a could of dust and dirt erupted around him.

"You just love the ground so much you'd kiss it twice in one day." Warrick retorted as Greg erupted into a fit of laughter, the other football players now joining them.

"That's it Brown! You're going down!" Jeff yelled as he got back to his feet and without warning, slugged him across the face.

The chant _fight, fight, fight…_was herd throughout the formed crowd of footballers as the two men circled each other like two lions fighting in an arena. Each of them was anticipating the others move and wondered who would strike next. Warrick did not really want to fight Jeff, but he knew that if he refused, the embarrassment would have been ten times worse then the sucker punch to the face. He decided to encourage Jeff to take another swing, in hopes that he would either dodge or deflect it before it collided with his face once more. Warrick braced himself, hunching his body forward and digging his heels into the dirt and mud as Jeff came running full force, his head impacting Warrick's abdomen, knocking the wind out of him for a brief moment.

Warrick lost his footing and slammed down onto the ground with Jeff falling on top a loud thud emitting throughout the crowd as their bodies impaled the earth. Jeff, who was now on top of Warrick, used his right hook and slugged Warrick again in the mouth which caused Warrick's bottom lip to split open and blood to dribble down his chin. However there was no way Warrick was going to go down without a fight. He saw Jeff winding up for another, and before that balled up fist hit his face for a third time, Warrick stopped it with a punch to the stomach. Jeff toppled over as Warrick took advantage of that and pounced on his back, flattening Jeff down into the dirt as he flipped over, dirt and grass in his mouth. Now Warrick was on top and in control. he was on top.

None of the guys on the football team dared to interfere with a fight between two footballers. This was their entertainment. There was no coach around, none of the cheerleaders where paying any attention, and two of the star players were going at it. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to show whose the strongest, and to settle their uneasiness between one another once and for all. Everyone knew Warrick was jealous over Catherine dating Jeff; he had had a crush on her from the beginning of freshman year. This was the final showdown over the head cheerleader, now that she was once again up for grabs on the open market.

-\-

The cheerleaders on the bleachers were discussing which routine they should open with for this weekends game, not sure if they should try out their new routine and see what everyone would like, or stick to the old and wow the crowd, even if the football game sucks. Sara, who was only half paying attention to the girls talk about flips and twists could hear the familiar chant of _fight, fight, fight _coming from the middle of the football field. She turned away from the group and looked out there seeing a huddle of guys watching two of their players rolling around in the field. Sara stood up, trying to catch a glimpse of who the two men were, and was not shocked to see that Jeff was one of them. He was always getting into fights, and this time he had picked one with Warrick. Sara could only imagine what happened between these two to set it off.

"Hey kit kat." Sara said calling Catherine by her nickname. Catherine looked up from the group of girls and smiled at Sara. "It appears your ex-boyfriend is fighting again." Sara replied as Catherine sighed. "Normally you wouldn't care, but he has decided to pick a fight with Warrick, and it looks like Warrick is winning."

"Good, Jeff deserves more than the beating he was getting from me in the hallway for the stunt he played." Catherine stated, confused to why Sara was so concerned about what was going on.

"Well, I agree, but I don't think anyone deserves a 'mud mask', which Jeff is about to get."

Catherine stood up, standing beside Sara, and watched as her ex-boyfriend was getting what the jocks like to call a 'mud mask'; his face dunked in the dirty, foul smelling mud of the football field. Catherine couldn't help but smile at her boyfriend getting pay back for what he had done to her and Sara earlier and wished she were the one giving him the 'mud mask' instead of Warrick. However, no matter how much she enjoyed Jeff's suffering her ex-boyfriend getting made out to be a fool for the second time in a day, she did want to end the fight, especially before someone got seriously hurt, which would potentially happen with Jeff being involved.

Both Sara and Catherine hopped down from the bottom bleacher and onto football field. The walked, trying to keep their uniform from riding up in the wind making their way towards the crowd of football players. The crowd noticed the two cheerleaders and separated, causing a hole for them to slip on through and get front row seats to the beat down that was taking place. The cheerleaders, especially the head cheerleader and her best friend, were treated like royalty among the seniors of Horseshoe Valley High. This was the only way to stop the two barbarians from wrestling in the mud; present them with beautiful women.

-\-

Gil, who abandoned all hope of focusing on his bugs, was writing a letter to Catherine, hoping that if he couldn't say his feelings to her then he could make coherent sentences on paper for her to read. That was when he could hear the chanting of a fight happening on the football field float up to him on the top bleacher. He looked up, watching as Sara and Catherine made their way out to the middle of the football field to see what was happening around the large crowd of football players. From his perch he had a good view of what was happening, it looked like Warrick was getting involved with number 47, to the point that he was shoving his face into the mud as the men around them were cheering and edging them on. Gil's eyes moved and followed Sara and Catherine's graceful moves, observing as the footballers parted, making room for the girls, as if they were princesses. It was not a far stretch for Gil to think of Catherine as a princess, she was beautiful, elegant, and so kind. Gil placed his book down on the bleacher and watched to see the two girls break up the fight, hoping that no harm would come to them, Gil would be beside himself if something happened to Catherine.

_"Hey break it up you guys!"_ Gil heard Catherine yell. He could see that she was attempting to pull the two guys apart, who were now back standing, and wrapped around one another, Warrick having the other players head in a choke hold.

_"Watch out!"_ This time it was Sara. His head searched, looking to see what was going to happen, he could tell it was something bad, he could feel it in the pit of hi stomach. He stood up, leaving his book and note on the bleacher and headed down to the field, taking the metal benches two at a time.

The cheerleaders watched as Gil whipped past them and approached the group on the field. One of the cheerleaders waited until Gil was gone and went up to inspect the book he was reading. She saw that it was about bugs and gave a weird look, as if this guy was from outer space and then wondered why on earth Catherine would be up hear talking with a brain. She then caught a glimpse of a piece of paper that was sticking out the top. Slowly she slid it out and read some of it. A large smile appeared on her face, as she folded it up and stuck it in her skirt pocket. Quickly she hopped back down the bleachers, rejoining her group before Gil suspected a thing...

-\-

Catherine was stuck in the middle of the two guys, trying to break them apart from one another. However, when Sara screamed, it was already too late. Jeff had missed Warrick and instead punched Catherine across the jaw. The force was so strong that it sent her plummeting to the ground, semi unconscious and nose dribbling from her right nostril. Sara wanted to get in there and help her best friend but Greg was holding her back. She gave him the evil eye and scowl, wondering what the hell he was pulling but, knew that was the right move. He was just protecting her, not wanting her to get hurt as well now that fists and elbows were being thrown in every direction.

Just as Gil approached the group of men he had to push and shove his way through to get to the front, he saw Catherine go down. He waited a few seconds, wondering if she was going to move, or do anything for that matter. He looked over at Sara and could see the helplessness in her eyes. She nudged her head in Catherine's direction who was now struggling to get to her feet. Gil caught onto the visual ques as he ran into the middle, seeing that both Warrick and Jeff were being held back by fellow football players in order to stop the fight. Gil could feel the sweat puckering on his palms as he grabbed Catherine's hand and roped it over his neck before placing his other arm under her crumbled legs. She was light as he lifted her up off the football turf and away from the crowd. She was still a little dazed as she opened her eyes to see Gil staring down at her a smile on his lips as he took her away from the crowd so they could look at her injuries. At least she was safe; she wouldn't be hurt anymore.

He did not even realize what he had done until he was gently lowering her onto the soft green grass away from the commotion and looked up to see the cheer leading squad watching what was happening between Catherine and the new kid. That whole heroic feet was something so instinctive that he did not have time to think let along take in the pleasure of being Catherine's knight in shining armour. He had just saved the woman he loved, he had touched her, and was holding her in his arms; she was with him.

One of the more proper football players who saw Catherine get slugged across the face went to go and get the coach. The fight was all fun and games when it was just the two guys, but now that an innocent girl had been injured, it was time to stop. The coach and assistant coach came running from the opposite side of the field Gil watched them jog, their faces red with anger and nostrils flaring like a bull. They pushed there way through the group of men and each coach took one of the fighters, yanking them off one another and shoving them out of the circle. Blood was running down their faces and their jerseys were now full of grass stains and mud. The other players scattered away before they were in trouble for not breaking it up.

"Peterson! Brown! In my office NOW!" The coach yelled.

The crowd that once occupied the football field had gone and now only Greg, Sara and Nick as they went over to Gil and Cat to see what was happening. Greg and Sara huddled over Grissom who had a moaning cheerleader in his arms. Gil looked down at Catherine who was now fully conscious as the bruise on her cheek and jaw was beginning to change into a dark blue black mark. colours and spread across her cheek. A bit of blood dribbled down from nose as Gil wiped it away with the sleeve of his shirt. She tried to smile back, as a thank-you, but it hurt her mouth too much and instead she winced in pain.

"Gil?" Catherine asked.

"Yes, it's me, are you okay?" Gil asked mesmerized by the sound of her voice as Sara, Nick and Greg approached.

"Thanks…" she murmured. A slight blush was appearing on her face.

"No, no problem." He stuttered and smiled again to cover his nervousness that had decided to kick in. _Great timing_ he thought.

"WOW! Gil, amazing job man! You basically saved Catherine's life!" Greg exclaimed, patting the young man on the back, ruining the moment between Catherine and Gil once more. He had his other arm wrapped around Sara's waist, which normally she would object too, but right now she was fine with the proximity. This was the only opportunity he had to ever touch his beautiful goddess and he was not about to let go.

Finally, Sara elbowed Greg in the stomach causing him to let his hand fall from around her stomach, ending this sooner rather than later. It had the desired effect as he moved his hands to his own stomach, looking like he was about double over from the wind being sucked out of him. She hated seeing Catherine injured, especially to the extent of power that Jeff had put behind that punch he threw. However, she was glad Gil had come to his senses enough and rescued her before more pain was inflicted. Although, she did have a small feeling of being replaced. Sara knew that Greg only held her back to protect her, and she found that sweet and caring however, it also pissed her off. Then a very foreign concept came to mind; she was actually jealous of the geeky new kid.

"Cat, are you okay? He sure did hit you hard." Sara asked walking over to her friend still on the ground, her head resting in Gil's arms.

"Yeah, I think so," Catherine replied and slightly shook her head, thinking afterwards that, that was a bad idea. "I can't believe Jeff hit me, that bastard." She muttered causing a smile to appear on Sara's lips.

"We should get some ice to put on those bruises before your face swells up like a melon, we do have a football game this weekend to attend remember?"

Catherine quickly sat up, out of Gil's lap and tried to cover her face, embarrassed and self conscious about her looks now. "Is it really that bad?" She asked, looking from one person to the other, hoping that she would get the answer of _no Cat, you look fine, don't worry. _Instead all she got was shrugs from Nick and Greg and Sara shaking her head to try and ease her friends paranoia. "Gil, is, is it really that bad? You can be honest." She said turning to Gil who looked like a deer caught in headlights.

Gil could feel the sweat building under his arms as his hands began to tremble, he nervously shook his head no, but was too afraid to say anything, not sure how exactly how she would take it or, even worse, he would say the wrong thing. Catherine was almost horrified by Gil's silent reaction, he could tell my the look in her eyes that she was becoming more embarrassed and self conscious by the minute of them sitting on the football field.

"Come on Cat, lets go home, ice that face and relax before the game tomorrow night," Sara said, breaking the silence and smiling at Gil in hopes to break his spell.

Catherine extended her hands up, in hopes for Nick and Greg to help her to her feet and as far away as possible from Gil with a fat lip and bruised face. This was not what she was picturing was going to be happening tonight. She broke up with Jeff, she broke up a fight and was now deformed like the Elephant Man in front of her newest crush. How humiliating. Nick and Greg took their ques and each grabbed a hand, lifting Catherine back up to her feet. They held her for a moment, seeing her try to steady herself on her feet.

"Thanks again Gil, you really are a life saver." Catherine stated turning back to Gil who was still sitting on the football field, his mind still frozen.

There was still no response from Grissom, as Sara and Catherine exchanged glances. The two girls then thanked Greg and Nick, told them they would see them tomorrow and began their trek across the field and back to Sara's house. Catherine kept her hands gripped on Sara's right arm to keep her upright as they made their way across the field that was no deserted of both football players and cheerleaders. She turned back once more and smiled at Gil, seeing he was watching her, and a smile creep across his lips as he got to his feet once more.

Grissom knew he blew it. Catherine probably now thinks he's some mutant freak who just goes around saving women but then won't talk to them. What an idiot, now how was he going to get a date with her? Greg could see the frustration in his new friends face as he gave him a pat on the back and Nick smiled, hoping the sincerity would make him feel a bit better about the whole situation.

"At least Catherine knows you're head over heels for her." Greg stated as they began their walk back towards the change rooms. "Sara still has no idea that I've had the biggest crush on her for the past four years, so, progress!" Greg replied and Gil smiled.

Gil needed to get advice from someone on how to act around the ladies. He needed someone to show him how he could win the heart of Catherine Willows.

"Hey Greg," Gil stated, "Do you think you guys could help me talk to Catherine? Maybe, even ask her for a date?" He asked, a blush reddening his cheeks, hoping that this ploy was not going to blow up in his face.

"Of course we can Gil!" Nick replied hooking his arm around Gil's shoulder as the stench of their football practice wafted into his nostrils as he held his breath trying not to puke at the overbearing stench. "That's what friends are for."

He now had made real friends, besides his bug collections at home. Real, living, human beings that would want him to achieve his goal of asking Catherine out for date and not try to sabotage and take Catherine for themselves, now that she was back in the dating market. Gil would do everything in his power to gain the love and heart of Catherine.

Anything.

* * *

T.B.C.


	5. Chapter 5

**Growing Pains **

**Chapter Five **

**- Present Day -**

It was a brand new day, a brand new shift, and still it was as taxing as the last one. It had been a long eight hours, Gil handing out the assignments at the beginning shift in the break room was no different. There were only two cases that had come in, one was a break and enter at a near by convenience store in which Nick and Warrick were awarded and the other was a domestic disturbance in Summerland, the rich people's suburbs. Sara and Catherine had both went on this one, hoping that the presence of two women would be intimidating to the husband and help calm the frightened wife. Gil had stayed behind, locking himself up in his office and working on the mountain of paper work that was over taking his desk. He had a serious back log on reports and sign offs that Ecklie was going to hang him for if they were not completed within the next couple of days. It was the end of the month after all and control freak Ecklie wanted all of his ducks in a row before the Sheriff came in and scrutinized them for dropping from number one to number two crime lab in the country.

When Gil looked up from his paper work and glanced at the clock on the wall he realized that their was only ten minutes left in shift. He had been sitting in his office, his head down on these reports for four hours since his last break. He was hoping that he would run into Catherine in the break room when he went to get a fresh cup of coffee and something to eat, but she wasn't there, actually, she wasn't back from her scene yet. His mind had been preoccupied with what exactly he was going to say to her when he did see her, and catching her at the end of shift was the best time. Gil looked at the clock one more time and figured if she was back, which she should be from a simple domestic dispute, she and the rest of the gang would be in the locker room unwinding.

Gil got up, left his office, locking it behind him and making his way towards the locker room. It was a unisex locker room, and the team had, had many pep talks and cool downs between those walls throughout the years. It was the one place that they would all go to vent if they were having a difficult case, or to relax if they were stressed about an upcoming court date. They all used to get ready to go for breakfast together after shift while in the locker room until Gil had become supervisor and Catherine had to rush home to Lindsey after Eddie died. Their weekly or even sometimes, daily breakfast runs became less and less frequent over time and it was time for that to change.

When he walked into the locker room Nick, Warrick, and Sara and Catherine were all sitting on the metal bench in between the rows of blue metallic lockers. It appeared they were discussing the outcomes from both of their cases when their boss came and interrupted them. They all turned their heads the direction of the door, all in unison like they were a blood thirsty, group of zombies from a horror movie and eying Gil as if he was fresh meat.

"Hey, um, have any of you guys seen Catherine?" Gil asked as Sara slammed her locker door shut with a sigh.

"She's in the washroom, did you want to go hang out the front of it and try to talk to her again?" Nick snickered as Warrick laughed while Gil went red.

"I'll just wait here for her. I have something I want to ask her." He took a seat on the metal bench.

"Oh, and what exactly are you going to ask her?" Warrick asked, sitting beside his boss, hoping that this would finally be the beginning of the end of the sexual tension between their two most senior members of their team.

"I was going to ask her to breakfast,"

"Oh, so like a date?" Sara said as the smile grew upon her lips.

"Uh, yeah I, I guess so." Gil muttered, looking away from his friends and focusing on the metal locker across from him.

Just then Catherine entered the locker room as all eyes went to her and then to Gil again. She stood in the doorway, perplexed as to the powwow that was taking place in the locker room. "Hey guys, uh, what's going on?" She asked, walking past Nick and Sara to reach her locker.

"Nothing, Gil was just looking for you." Sara stated as she headed towards the hall with Nick and Warrick right behind her, she turned and winked at Gil before disappearing from view.

Catherine closed her locker door and flashed a sweet smile to Gil, wondering if she was going to be getting the third degree for the apple explosion in the break room.

"C-can I speak to you in my office." Grissom asked, standing from the bench and smoothing his slick palms on his pant legs.

"Well, we are the only ones in the locker room now, can we just talk here?" Catherine replied taking a seat on the bench.

"Uh, okay, yeah, sure." Gil took his seat again nervously.

Sara poked her head into the locker room, seeing Gil and Catherine sitting on the metal bench in the middle of the room. They were so close to one another that they were practically kissing each other. Gil had his back to the door as Catherine caught Sara's smile out of the corner of her eye and tried not to focus on it, giving away her best friends optimal spying position.

Greg was in the hallway and abruptly stopped when he saw Sara spying on something juicy taking place in the locker room. He still had his puppy dog love crush on her, and even though he gives Gil a hard time, at times, for not talking to Catherine, he was no better. At least it was obvious that Gil loved Catherine and he was actually actively pursuing it, at least in high school. Greg figured he had missed his chance when she was working as a CSI in San Francisco. He thought he was never gong to see her again, and that by the time they did meet up again she would be with someone and forgot all about Greg. However, when she was transferred over to work the Holly Gribbs case, and then realized her best friend from high school was working at the same police department along with everyone else from high school, she had decided to stay.

"Whoa mama," Greg blurted out behind Sara as she whipped her head around and covered Greg's mouth to shut him up.

"Are you trying to skin us alive!" Sara threatened keeping her hand clamped across Greg's mouth, his eyes wide as he shook his head no. "If you are going to be quite, then I will let you stay and watch history hopefully, not repeat itself." Greg nodded his head yes as Sara released her hand and smiled, turning her attention back to the locker room.

Catherine tried to ignore Greg's voice, still the sound of his voice made her blood boil over the comment her threw out in the break room yesterday. It seemed that Gil did not hear him for he did not turn to the door way and see what that noise was. She smiled again, extended her hand out and placing it on Gil's knee, the kindness in her blue eyes softening the mood once more.

"So am I in trouble from the apple thing that happened in the break room?" Catherine questioned breaking the silence.

"What apple thing?" Grissom replied with a smile completely aware of where Catherine's hand was and trying not to jump ten feet back away from her.

It took Catherine a moment for her to catch his drift, "Thanks Gil, you've always been there for me." She said squeezing his thigh gently, hoping that these movements were not going to freak him out. "So, then what did you want to talk about?" She asked glancing down at her watch. It was nine in the morning. Her daughter, Lindsey, would already be already off to school.

She had missed her daughter for the fourth morning in a row. Catherine's mother Lilly, would be upset with her once again, lecturing that her daughter's priorities should be more sorted out, especially ones involving Lindsey.

"I…I." Grissom stuttered. He was trying to remember what he was going to say to her, but Catherine's beauty and her hand on his thigh were distracting. The smile had turned into a disappointed smirk.

"You…what?"

"I wanted to ask you if," He was so nervous, trying to close his eyes and take a deep breath, "Well, what are you doing for breakfast?" He finally said and huffed. That wasn't what he wanted to say at all, _idiot_.

Catherine's eyes widened at her bosses proposal. She could tell by the beads of sweat dribbling down his face that this was going to be no normal breakfast. She had a feeling that Gil was going to confess his true feelings to her, that he was going to finally be a man and tell her that he loved her that actually, he's loved her since they met eyes in the hallway in senior year. Catherine did, not wait _does_, feel the same way. Both of them were guilty of hidden emotions and maybe it was as good a time as any for them both to come clean about taking this relationship to the next level. She could not be certain Gil was actually having romantic feelings for her, that he was actually picturing the two of them starting a life together like she did in her mind every time she day dreamed. Sara even knew she was having those tingling feelings course through her body. They would sometimes meet up for a coffee after shift and talk, Catherine would explain how at the slightest sight of him or sound of his voice, she could feel her heart beat faster and palms get sweaty. She would just have to wait to see more signals, something that was more convincing before she asked the dreaded question. What better way to do that than over breakfast.

"I'd love to go to breakfast with you." Catherine stated and smiled, standing from the bench, her eyes never leaving his.

Grissom was flabbergasted, not really sure if it was more over the fact that she agreed or the fact that he was still so tongue tied like in high school. After so long, after everything they have been through, together and apart, he shouldn't have any trouble talking to her. There was no reason to be nervous, no reason to clam up and feel like he was being an idiot and, for the love of god, just man up. They had grown closer together over the time they had worked together and he was ready to take the relationship to the next level, he was sure of it, and he would be pursue it until the end if he had too.

There was something piercing, stabbing Gil in the back of his mind and never going away. It was the memory of him being rejected by Catherine for the first time, back in high school, and it was something he would never be able to forget, or ever want to repeat...

* * *

T.B.C.


	6. Chapter 6

**Growing Pains**

**Chapter Six **

**- Fifteen Years Prior -**

Catherine and Sara were making their way down the side walk, heading toward Sara's to begin their usual Friday, after cheer leading practice ritual. It was customary for Catherine to spend the night at Sara's, for them to give each other facials, paint their nails and do their hair while gossiping about boys, their plans for the summer and the schools they have applied to in the fall. Catherine's cheek was beginning to throb even more, and ice was needed ASAP if she stood any chance of being at the top of the pyramid at the football game on Sunday. Both of them had been having a bad day, well, mostly afternoon beginning with them getting in trouble in chemistry class, then getting the shit scared out of them in the hallway to ending with the fiasco out on the football field. Not to mention Catherine's mother would be totally upset at her getting punched in the face by her own boyfriend, well now, _ex_ boyfriend.

They were approaching a bus stop at the corner where a little old lady wa sitting on the bench in the shelter smiling beneath her coke bottle thick glasses at Sara and Catherine. She had a smug smile on her face that read a look of disgust, probably for how much skin both young girls were showing in their cheer leading uniforms. Both Catherine and Sara just shrugged it off, used to being gawked by people, especially when leaving or heading to cheer leading practice. Just then both of them heard the squealing of tires as they whipped their heads to the corner behind them smiling at the black jaguar that was approaching them.

The men spotted Catherine and Sara stopped on the side walk gawking the beautiful vehicle that had just pulled up beside them. The driver slowed, pulling up to the curb as his passenger unrolled his tinted window smiling at the two cheerleaders slowed the car down to the actual city speed limit and pulled over to the side of the road. He smiled as he screeched to a halt in front of the two cheerleaders. Catherine and Sara smiled at the man, walking up the window sill while the old lady looked at them in disgust. She was probably beginning to think the girls were prostitutes dressed as cheerleaders.

"Do you girls need a lift?" Warrick asked. He tried not to concentrate on the nasty bruise forming on Catherine's cheek.

Sara and Catherine glanced over at the old lady who was trying to make it appear that she was not watching or listening to what was going on. They smiled at each other, thinking to play a little trick on the woman as they both stuck their butts out a little further and rested there arms on the window frame, their eyes large with desire. Warrick had to look away because if he looked straight at them he would be able to see down both Catherine and Sara's tops

"Do you mind?" Sara asked in a sexy tone. Catherine tried her best not to laugh.

"Not at all, hop in, you dirty girls." Nick remarked and Catherine laughed.

Warrick stepped out, pushing the passenger seat forward allowing the two girls to get into the back seat. He playfully gave each of them a small smack on their butts as they let out a little yelp of pleasure. He then looked at the old woman sitting in the bus shelter and winked at her before hoping back into the jag. He slammed the door shut as Nick peeled off from the curb leaving a large cloud of dust in their wake. The four of them couldn't contain their laughter at the expression they left on the old woman's face. They were not in the mood to dead with another person, especially someone who would cause problems.

"That lady probably thinks we're prostitutes – oh well!" Catherine stated as they all laughed again. "Thanks for the ride guys," she said as she slid in her seat as the car made a sharp right hand turn.

"It's the least we could do. I'm sorry about what happened, you weren't supposed to get hurt." Warrick replied as Nick was searching for a radio station to listen to.

"It wasn't your fault, and I'll be okay." Catherine replied. She heard part of a song she loved, "Hey Nicky, go back one, I like that song." She replied and Sara laughed.

_Hey Baby_ by "No Doubt" was blasting through the speakers as Sara and Catherine began singing and jumping up and down in the backseat. It seemed that the mood had changed in the car all do to one song. Nick was just about to go double the speed limit when he thought he saw someone he recognized.

"Hey, is that Gil?" Sara said as if she were reading Nick's mind.

Catherine looked to see where her friend was pointing and caught a glimpse of the baby face she loved. It was Gil no doubt, and he looked like he was talking to himself, and a little down about something. She wondered if he felt like a fool for not talking to Catherine after rescuing her from the football field. She owed her life to that guy; he saved her from getting a broken leg or something, something that would have restricted her from doing the one thing she loved besides science; cheer leading.

"Stop the car!" Catherine screamed to be head over the music blaring in the car. Nick slammed on the breaks, screeching to a halt in front of Gil.

Catherine saw the look on Gil's face. He looked as if he had a heart attack.

"Hey Gil, do you want a ride?" Warrick asked as he rolled down his window, not mentioning the two girls they had in the back seat.

"H-Hey guys," Gil stuttered. He did not notice the girls in the back seat. "I- don't think so, I don't live far from here." Gil replied with a smile.

"Come on Gil, hop in, don't worry we have room." Warrick replied and could hear the girls giggle in the back but Gil couldn't hear them over the music.

"Okay, if you insist."

Warrick stepped out of the car and folded the seat forward again. Gil was halfway in when he noticed Catherine and Sara in the back seat sitting there with large smiles on their faces. He didn't know what else to do but climb in and smile back. "Hey girls, I didn't know you were in here." Gil said and blushed. He was a few centimeters away from Catherine, just like on the bleachers earlier.

"Yeah the guys picked us up." Sara replied as Warrick fixed the seat once more and hoped back in.

"Oh, how's your cheek Catherine?" Gil said finally noticing the bruise and trying not to focus on it.

"Hurts like hell, but I'll live. Like I always say, never doubt, never look back, that's how I live my life." Catherine replied and gave Gil and small smile, her hand brushing against her thigh in the cramped back seat of Nick's Jaguar.

"I admire that." Gil whispered and smiled back. He watched as Sara whispered something in Catherine's ear that made her smile even more. "What's so funny? Or is it a girl thing?" Gil asked.

"Sara said there is a rave out on Blue Diamond Road." Catherine replied. "Since you just moved here we're assuming you've never gone to a rave and we want to make your first very, memorable."

"Rave? What is a rave?"

"A big ass party in the middle of the dessert. They are tons of fun!" Nick stated as he turned into Sara's driveway.

"But you girls aren't dressed to go to a rave?" Gil stated, noticing they had pulled into the driveway of one of the girl's home.

Nick got out of the seat, as Gil got out of the car, letting the girls out his side. Catherine was halfway out when she smiled at Gil standing in Sara's driveway feeling like he was a bit out of place. "Don't worry, by the time you guys go and get Greg, since you know how he would jump at a chance to spend some time with Sara, we will be ready." Catherine said kissed Gil on the cheek, "I promise." She added.

"Sounds like a plan, we'll be back in thirty minutes." Nick replied as he slapped Gil on the back to break him out of the trance of getting a kiss from Catherine.

"See you then!" Sara replied and ran after Catherine into the house as the guys backed out of the driveway and sped off.

* * *

T.B.C.


	7. Chapter 7

**Growing Pains **

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

**- Present Day -**

"Stop moving Greg," Sara whispered as they were leaning against the door frame, eavesdropping on Catherine and Grissom's supposedly private conversation in the locker room.

"He should just ask her out," Greg replied and Sara glared at him. "Well, he has had a crush on her ever since high school." He defended with a shrug.

"Sound familiar." Sara retorted as Greg punched her lightly in the shoulder, making her loose her footing as she fell to the ground, into the threshold for the locker rooms.

When Sara looked up from the tiles she almost face planted she could see two pairs of dress shoes standing in the doorway, the ones belonging to a pair of slim black dress pants was tapping their foot incessantly at Sara's not so graceful appeared. When she looked up she was met by a smiling best friend and a very unhappy boss.

"You know," Catherine said breaking the silence. "The two of you would make a cute couple. I mean you already have so much in common." She snickered shooting an iced glare at Greg who was leaning his back against the wall, whistling, his eyes trying to focus on anywhere but the commotion happening in front of the locker room. "Don't try and be cute Sanders, I'm still pissed at your little slip yesterday."

"Actually, we both are." Gil chimed in, the seriousness in his tone made the young lab rat stop pretending and actually looked a bit intimidated.

Sara smiled, getting back on her feet as she brushed her pants with her hands, "Thanks, smart-ass." She replied to Catherine's comment and then glared at Greg, "Thank-you for pushing me on the ground Sanders, way to blow our cover."

"So, what were you two love birds talking about?" Greg piped up, wondering if it was the right time to be bold and daring, by the stares he got from all three of them it was evident it was still too soon. "Well, that's my que to split, later!" He called and took off down the hall.

"Ready to go to breakfast?" Gil said, as Sara raised an eye brow in suspicion to what was going on.

"For sure, catch you later Sara," Catherine said, following Gil, she grabbed her friends shoulder, a hint of excitement twinkling in her eyes, "I'll tell you all about it over coffee this afternoon." She whispered and then jogged to catch up with Gil before he suspected a thing.

Sara smiled, memories of high school coming back to her once more. It was a ritual for them two of them to always gossip about their latest dates over a hot chocolate and doughnut at the nearest coffee shop. She was happy that Gil and Catherine were finally, after many years of them being to scared to admit their true feelings with one another, were going on a date. Sara walked back into the locker room to grab her purse out of the bottom of her locker.

"You know," Greg started, coming back to the locker room now that the coast was clear, "If you were wearing a skirt right now, this would be the perfect position for me to see what underwear you have on."

Sara stood, slamming her locker door shut, her back still to the door, "Who said I'm wearing any." She stated and spun on her heel, brushing past Greg.

Greg stood still, mouth agape and eyes wide, "I'll hold you to that Sidle!" He screamed and could hear Sara laugh as she turned the corner.

-\-

Catherine and Grissom headed through the lab, nodding a good-bye to Judy their resident receptionist and out to the parking lot. Catherine smiled as she put on her brown shades to cover her eyes from the sun light that was out in full force now that it was seven in the morning. They both hopped into Gil's Tahoe, turning out of the lab parking lot and heading down the road towards their favourite diner. He kept glancing over at Catherine, noticing after a few moments that her hand was on his thigh, and she was not moving it any time soon. He enjoyed the close proximity of them together but it was also causing him to be distracted while driving. He tried to keep his mind focused on what he was going to talk about at breakfast, forgetting the physical need and want to clasp his hand around her's and just say _I love you, I've always loved you_ not caring about the repercussions. She still had the same beauty she had back in high school, nothing about Catherine Willows had changed since the first day he met her in high school.

Catherine turned her head away from the window and smiled at Gil, seeing that his hands were gripping the steering wheel tight, to the point that his knuckles were turning white. She then looked down and noticed that her hand was on his thigh, subconsciously she had placed it there, a bad habit from sitting in the car all the time with Eddie when they were "happily" married. She quickly moved her hand away, wiping it on her pant leg feeling how moist it was with sweat. She smiled nervously, thankfully the tint of her sunglasses covered the embarrassment in her eyes. Gil turned into the parking lot of the diner, seeing that their were police cruisers there from some of the LVPD taking their morning coffee breaks. Both of them stepped out into the scorching morning heat, slamming their car doors shut and heading into the diner, the air conditioning feeling refreshing once more. Gil had to fight the urge to grab a hold of Catherine's hand and never let go as they walked inside, the little bell above the door jingling to announce their presence.

A waitress came up and greeted the two, grabbing two menus and showing them to a table in the back corner, away from the other customers and Police Officers at the bar sipping their java. Catherine and Gil didn't mind the solitude, it was better this way, especially if what both of them were screaming out in their heads was actually going to come out over breakfast. They took their respected seats, the young, bubbly waitress placing the menus down, walking away to get them both a cup of coffee.

"Sorry about Sara," Catherine stated as she glanced over the menu. "She's not usually like-"

"Greg" they said in unison and smiled at each other nervously over the brim of their menus.

A few moments of awkward silence had gone by, as the young waitress came back with their two cups of coffee a pot of coffee and took their orders, both of them ordering the "Hungry Man's Breakfast"; two pieces of toast, two eggs, bacon and sausage. Once the waitress got what they wanted and how they wanted their food done she left, and Catherine could not help but notice Gil staring at her butt as she swayed in her steps and the curls of her blonde hair bounced along her shoulders.

"So," Catherine huffed folding up the menu and placing it back on the table, seeing that he snapped out of his trance. "Why did you ask me to breakfast Gil?"

"I-I," he stuttered and then closed his eyes, clearing his throat. "I, I figured after shift you'd be hungry." He replied and Catherine frowned.

"Is that all?" She pried, knowing he was hiding something. He was never good at faking his way through anything. She could see that he was beginning to become uncomfortable. "Gil, we have been friends for more than fifteen years. You can tell me what's bothering you."

_No I can't_ Gil thought and smiled, "I just thought you would want some breakfast that's all."

This was the most embarrassing moment of his life. He never knew it would be so difficult to tell someone that you love him or her and that the two of you should be together forever. How could he tell Catherine this, without sounding desperate? But, that was the truth. He was desperately in love with Catherine Willows and nothing would stand in his way from taking her. That is, accept his shyness, insecurity and lack of balls of course. Even though Gil may never be able to date Catherine, or kiss her, or marry her, he refuses to grant anyone else that privilege either. If he could only look at her from a distance than so should every other man, it only seems fair and logical, but far from the truth. Catherine had already been married once to Eddie, which was a whole other story and a trip down memory lane that he never really wanted to bring to the surface any more. She has also dated that guy from the Acid Drop and the building contractor she met on one of her cases awhile ago. She seemed to be able and willing to go out with any other man, besides him.

"Do you remember that time Sara, Warrick and Nick got into a fighting match with the cook of this restaurant?" Catherine asked trying to break the silence.

The waitress mumbled something as she left to go and give the cook their orders. Grissom and Catherine shrugged remembering that the waitresses here needed an attitude adjustment. That would be why he and the rest of the graveyard shift had stopped coming to this diner. Well that, and Sara getting into a fight with the cook. Sara had specifically asked for a veggie burger, meaning no meat. Well the cock gave her a regular burger and she pretty much lost it, it didn't help that on top of that she had a tough shift. The only two who were not blamed for the fighting match were Catherine and Grissom, almost being treated like they were the parents to three very unruly children.

"Yeah, I remember everyone staring at us as if we were taking care of three children looking like adults." Gil replied.

"Yeah, that was priceless."

"What-what's so funny?" Gil asked as he was staring at Catherine who was smiling at some memory. "Catherine, what is it?" He pressured.

"I was just thinking back to high school." Catherine replied and starting laughing again.

"High school? What made you think of high school?"

"Remember that time we went to the Rave out in the desert and you did all of those crazy things with Sara and I." Catherine explained, her smile widening as Gil's confusion worsened. "After the whole football fiasco when Jeff _accidentally_ punched me in the face?"

"A rave? I don't remember a rave? I remember you getting punched in the face, and me I guess, rescuing you." Gil replied and felt a blush as she looked away from Catherine, noticing that she blushed too, "But not a rave out in the dessert."

Grissom couldn't remember the rave that Catherine had apparently committed to her memory. He wondered what exactly she meant by _crazy things_ when it came to her and Sara? "What exactly was I doing with the two of you?" Grissom asked in a hushed whisper.

"Well I don't know if I should talk about some of this stuff in a public place." Catherine said with a wink and watched the horror flash across his face.

"Oh god," Grissom breathed as he folded his head in his hands. His cheeks were flaming red with embarrassment wanting to get out of here ASAP.

"If you'd like, I can refresh your memory somewhere else. Say your house?"

Grissom looked up from the tablecloth and stared at Catherine trying to make sense of what she had just said. It would not be the first time Catherine would be in his house, but it was the first time it would just be the two of them, and not work related. Before he could say a word Gil could tell that her eyes were reading his silence as a yes. Just then the waitress returned with their meals as both of them finished their breakfast in silence and naturally, as soon as possible.

* * *

T.B.C


	8. Chapter 8

**Growing Pains **

**Chapter Eight**

* * *

**- Fifteen Years Prior - **

Catherine could hear incessant honking coming from the driveway to Sara's house. She scampered over to the window jumping the pile of pillows that were tossed on the floor and ripping the flowered curtain away to see who was down stairs. Warrick's black with red flames Thunderbird was parked there, full of the guys awaiting patiently for the girls.

**"**Sara!" Catherine yelled waving down at the guys with a large goofy grin on her lips.

"YEAH!" Sara yelled back as she emerged from the bathroom putting on ruby red lipstick.

"They're here, we gotta jet,"

Catherine took Sara by the hand, grabbing both of there purses and scampering off with giggles, down the hardwood stairs, waving a quick good-bye to Sara's mom and flying out the front door of the house. Big smiles and large eyes shinned as they made their way around the shrubs in the front yard towards the blinding headlights of Warrick's car. This was his pride an joy, always bragging to the guys about how many girls he'd pick up and make-out with. As the girls came into view Nick opened the passenger car door, ushering them to the back seat as he gawked at their revealing outfits, ready to dance and party at the rave tonight. Both Catherine and Sara were sporting tight fitting mini skirts, Sara's being lime green and Catherine's hot pink. They clung to their skin like paint and were no doubt shorter than their cheer leading uniforms. There shirts that were white, sheer fabric where the colours of their bra's could be seen through, were also low cut and tight against their hour glass figures. An assortment of Mardi Gras beads dangled from their necks and swayed in time with their hips.

The make-up was just as vibrant as their outfits, shades of blues, greens and yellows misted their eyes and coated their cheeks. Red lip stick glossed their lips as thick, black mascara coated their eye lashes making their eyes look larger and sexier. Sara had her hair pinned in braided pig tails with neon green ribbon laced between them to match her skirt. She took the route of sweet and innocent where all that was missing was a lollipop dangling from between her lips. Catherine too a different approach, wearing her long, blonde hair down, curling the ends as they bounced with every step she made in her heels, the side bangs covering her left eye giving her outfit a sexy seductress feel to it.

Before the guys arrived at Sara's Gil, who was dressed in a pair of beige pants and a navy blue dress shirt, was informed by the guys a bit of what to expect from Catherine and what exactly a rave was. He was a bit apprehensive, not really seeing a rave as his scene, but Warrick and Nick both convinced him that they would be at his side throughout the whole thing. That made Gil feel a bit better, but still, he had a hard enough talking to her without alcohol and partying in the mix, now there was even a bigger area for him to make a mistake in.

"I think this is going to be your lucky night Gil," Nick replied as he opened up the door and pushed his seat forward.

Catherine climbed in first, her eyes meeting Gil's, who was in the far corner of the car, the left speaker to Warrick's sound system thumping right in his ear drum. He tried to keep his eyes on her face, her lips, her eyes, anything but the low cut shirt and short skirt that was screaming for his attention. Catherine was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen in his life. Under the interior lights of the car he could not make out the bruise that was under her left eye concealed by make up.

"Hey Gil, I didn't know you were in here already," Catherine replied and smiled as Warrick revved his engine.

"The girls clean up pretty well huh Gil?" Warrick said with a smirk as he could see his friend nod through the review mirror.

Gil could do nothing but stare, even if he wanted to say something, anything, he wouldn't be able too. His mouth had gone dryer than the Nevada desert. He wanted to comment on how Catherine's beauty still radiated through, no matter what she wore and that the bruise on her face was non existent beneath her flawless make-up. But, he couldn't, he was unable to speak a single word to Catherine Willows.

"Hey guys, where's Greg?" Sara asked as everyone looked at her, "Well, I mean we invited him along it would be pretty rude just to dump him," she defended avoiding eye contact with everyone.

"Yeah, I'm sure that was what you're concerned about." Nick snickered as Sara smacked him over the back of the head with her purse, "Hey! What was that for? Also, I think your cell phone just gave me a concussion,"

Catherine was the only one in the car that knew Sara had a bit of a crush on Greg Sanders. That was never to be uttered to the boys, knowing that they would tell Greg and he would become obsessed with Sara, even worse then he already was. However, it seemed that the more she tried to keep it under wraps the more obvious she became. Soon, it would no longer be a secret and everyone, even Gil Grissom, will be able to see the puppy dog crush for what it really was. Warrick exited Sara's driveway, making his way through suburbia towards the Strip as the bright lights were like a homing beacon. Gil could feel Catherine's hand brushing against his thigh as his eyes were trained on the tinted back window, staring at all the tourists on the sidewalks and the bright lights and life of The Strip. Eventually the light died and the car full of high school students was high tailing it out into the pitch dark desert.

Almost an hour out side of the city limits of Vegas the sight of red and blue strobe lights filled the dark sky. Warrick pulled off the main road and headed down a dirt path kicking up clouds of dust and rocks with his increasing speed. The sound of stones being kicked up into the wheel wells could faintly be heard over the blaring stereo. He curved into the make shift parking lot with at least fifty other cars. As the group piled out into the desert the sound of techno music could be heard as clear as day from where they stood.

"So Gil," Catherine said grabbing his arm and entwining it around her own as the group began their walk towards the vibrant lights in the sky. "This is your first rave huh?"

Gil gulped nodding his head, "Yes, it is," He managed to say trying not to focus on the fact that Catherine had her arm wrapped around his.

Catherine looked him in the eyes and smiled wickedly, "We are going to have to make your first time memorable then, aren't we?"

"Hey guys!" Greg shouted a few feet away as everyone waved watching the man in cut off jeans and yellow muscle shirt jog over to them, his brown hair concealed with a wide brimmed baseball cap shifted to the side. He gave Catherine and Sara a look over fanning his hand in front of his face, "Damn you two are hot!"

Sara and Catherine giggled as they took a quick spin in front of the guys, getting cat calls all around. The group then trudged further and further into the rave as the man at the entrance took twenty bucks from each of them, giving them a stamp of fairy on the inside of their wrists as techno music flooded their ear drums. Bright lights were becoming more vivid in the darkness and people were everywhere, jumping up and down, screaming and yelling to the music as glow in the dark necklaces bounced on their bodies and waved in the air. Gil had never seen something so thrilling, so out of the ordinary, in his life. He felt like a scientist, investigating everyone's behaviour and understanding why they act the way they do, he almost wished he had a notepad to take down notes and create an experiment. Gil glanced looked over at Catherine who still had her arm linked around his and was jumping up and down as if she were attending a rock concert.

It occurred to Gil that every time Catherine was close to him it was always her making the first move. Tonight was the night that was all going to change. He was going to do something spontaneous, he was going to make a move and not let his fear get in the way. Suddenly Catherine grabbed Gil's hand and pulled him towards her body, his lips almost touching hers as her eyes read power and seduction. Gil was too in shock to pull himself away, instead he welcomed the new feeling, taking in the warmth of her body as Catherine moved and swayed to the music. He tried to follow Catherine's lead, attempting to grind to his hips against hers. Gil stared into her eye shadowed misted eyes and watched her arms flaying in the air above her head as the bangles on her arms clanked against one another. He was mesmerized, his eyes transfixed on the dancing she did, the fluid movements she made as her hands worked their way down her body, over her breasts and between her legs. Her eyes were shut but she was still able to keep with the beat; her head was swaying from side to side getting lost in the music.

Catherine moved her arms forward wrapping them around Gil's firm shoulders feeling the heat and sweat he was admitting into the cool desert air. She could feel his body moving against hers, trying to keep up with the beat of the song. She smiled, turning around and grinding her bum up against his legs, feeling her skirt ride up against his shaft as his whole body when rigid. Catherine knew Gil was apprehensive, tensing at the slightest brush of her body against his, but she knew that this would also make him relax a lot more. To try and ease the tension Catherine wrapped her arms around Gil from behind, gently stroking his face with her fingertips. She could feel more than see Gil's legs relax as the beat of the music got faster and she move her hips harder. Catherine let out a small laugh, knowing that everyone else out at the rave was doing the exact same thing; getting down and dirty.

Sara was dancing with Greg only a few feet away watching Catherine put the moves on Gil. She was just as captivated by her moves as Gil was, it was no secret that Catherine Willows knew how to work it on the dance floor. To everyone at the rave they appeared to be a couple that has known one another for years, were intimate with one another, even though that had just met each other less than twenty-four hours ago. Sara then looked back at Greg, watching him move around like a headless chicken, something that he considered "dancing". Beyond not inheriting the dancing gene he was everything Sara wanted in a man. Greg was smart, funny and charming. He always knew what to say that would put a smile on her face. It was almost as if they were meant to be together, without each other really confessing they needed each other.

Warrick and Nick were also not far from the group, bumping and grinding with a couple of girls they had met at the bar. Both were half gone with liquor, the other half by drugs, the two most common culprits found at a desert rave in Las Vegas. The guys however, did not mind, the easier the better. Warrick took a quick glance over at Gil and nudged Nick as the girl, Krissy was her name, leaned in for a slobbery kiss. The stench of beer reeked her breath and lingered in the desert air. When their lips touched Warrick had to suppress his gag reflex.

"I love you!" Krissy screamed, beginning to giggle as she traced her white gloved hand down Warrick's cheek.

Warrick didn't reply, he knew that the next morning she wasn't going to have any memory of Warrick or the rave for that matter. Just then Krissy began to hurl, as spray went on Warrick's shirt and shoes. Nick just looked at his friend and laughed.

Catherine gave Gil a kiss on the cheek wrapping her arms around his neck and snaking her leg around his. She stared up at him, looking into his blue eyes; she knew right then and there that she was falling in love with him. Jeff meant nothing to her any more, he had become a monster beyond her control, and far from the same man she had fallen in love with back at the beginning of her high school career.

"Gil, I've never met a man who was able to dance the way you can," Catherine whispered in his ear as she nipped it with her teeth.

"It was nothing compared to how you can dance Catherine," Gil said, feeling his cheeks inflame with her hot breath in his ear. "I-I mean I've never seen anyone dance the way you can, it's just so amazing and graceful," He replied trying to keep his eyes on hers and his mind out of the gutter.

"I'm glad someone appreciates it, Jeff never commented me on it, actually, he never commented on anything I've ever done,"

"Why are you with him anyways? I know you can do better," _ I know you can with me_ is the part Gil forgot to add at the end.

Catherine smiled and caressed his cheek with her fingers, lightly brushing the sweat coming down from his brow, "I'm not with him anymore, we broke up after he humiliated me and Sara." Catherine said, a smile appearing on her lips as she ran her tongue across her bottom lip, biting it gently. "I'm back in the dating game Gil, but, I wouldn't mind being off limits to everyone except you." She whispered, leaning in and giving Gil a kiss on the lips. He didn't have a chance to move away before her arm was wrapped around his neck, deepening her kiss.

Sara and Greg had met up with the lip locked couple in the middle of the dancing crowd. "WOW!" Greg called and started howling like a wolf at the moon.

Catherine removed her lips from Gil's and smiled. She laughed when she saw Sara and Greg approaching, acting childish at the lip lock between friends. She couldn't hear, but saw Sara mouthing the words to the childish kissing in a tree song at the sight of the kiss on the dance floor. Gil gently pressed his fingers against his own lips still feeling the gloss smeared across them. That was when he knew he was not dreaming.

'Where did Warrick and Nick venture off to?" Catherine asked as she let go of Gil's neck.

"Probably found some new women to flaunt their looks at." Sara replied and held up a tray of test tubes filled with neon coloured drinks, "A random guy handed us a tray of these drinks for twenty bucks, you guys want to try some?" She asked waving the tray in their faces.

"I-I don't think we should for all we know it could be drugs or poison. It could kill us," Gil replied, his logic and reason taking over once more.

"Oh come on Gil, live a little. I bet these are harmless, plus we need to make your first rave memorable," Catherine said patting him on the shoulder and grabbing a test tube from the tray. She tilted her head back and downed the test tube in one shot.

"Woo-hoo go Cath!" Greg replied as Catherine downed another one, Greg joining in.

Gil admired Catherine's adventurous tone and courage but in some ways it also scared him. She was too outgoing for Gil's liking at times but, she was so beautiful and smart and damn that kiss was like heaven.

"Come on Gil, just one even, just to say you did it." Greg pressured as Sara downed a test tube, Catherine working on her third. "Trust me this is the perfect place to do some, oh what is that thing called that you do in science all the time?" Greg said trying his hardest to remember the word.

"Experiment?" Gil replied as Catherine giggled.

"Yeah, experiment!"

"I still don't think this is right but, if y'all going to be pests until I take at least one then I'll do it."

"That's the spirit Gil!" Sara yelled and handed him a test tube, "Cheers!" She said and clanked her test tube against his as they downed the liquid at the same time.

-\-

After a half hour of tossing back test tubes filled of unknown liquor and laced with some type of drug, the four of them were dancing to the music and screaming at the top of their lungs. It was heating up in the desert as Greg and Gil began to take off clothes from their body, their temperature rising. Catherine and Sara slid their bodies against their men, making moaning and whimpering noises, stroking faces and lip locking. It was like someone had given them a dose of endorphins that made them want one another now more than ever, like rabbits in heat.

Warrick and Nick had spotted their four friends after Warrick was able to find a place to wash off the puke his dancing partner spewed all over the front of them. It was hard to miss the group, seeing two men with their shirts off and wearing them on their heads, glow in the dark necklaces and bracelets on their body. Both Catherine and Sara were groping all over them like dogs looking for a fresh piece of meat. The boys walked over to them, wondering if they would be able to join in on the fun.

"What the heck is going on over here? What did you do to these guys, you made them into animals," Warrick replied as Nick began laughing hysterically.

"We had some glow stick test tubes and they were like tasting the rainbow!" Greg yelled as he rubbed his hands along Sara's hips, "You should try some! I feel like I'm in heaven and I'm stroking the legs of an angel."

Warrick grabbed one of the test tubes they had tossed on the ground and sniffed the rim of it. He could distinctly smell tequila as he dipped his finger tip in it and could taste drugs; LSD to be exact. Now he understood the reasoning behind everyone's crude and hilarious behaviour. If four of them downed a whole tray full he was amazed they were still upright.

"How many of these did y'all drink?" Warrick questioned as Catherine moved over to him and began grinding her hips in beat with the music.

"Just six each, well I had six, Grissom had eight! Isn't he so sexy with his hair blue and his shirt off!" Catherine slurred as she had her arm wrapped around Warrick's neck, it was the only thing keeping her upright at the moment.

"Cath, that's his shirt on his head that makes his hair blue. I think we all should just leave here before something bad goes down,"

"Gil, what on earth...!" Nick yelled as Warrick and Catherine turned their attention to him.

Gil Grissom was grinding and bumping his body against Sara, attempting to ride her in the middle of the desert like a cowboys riding a horse. Sara was on all fours, her knees digging into the desert sand as Gil grabbed her pig tails as if they were reins and yelled "giddy-up!" into the night sky. Nick, Warrick or Catherine had never seen something like that, something so vulgar happening in public. Catherine felt left out of this, and left Warrick, staggering back over to Gil and Sara, standing behind Gil and rubbing her breasts against his back, moaning with pleasure. Thankfully this was common, everyday behaviour at a Rave.

"Man, I wish I had my camera, this is just way too crazy!" Nick replied and slapped Warrick on the back, "But I do agree with you man, we should get out of here before someone brings over some trouble."

Not long after that was said two men that looked more drunk then all of them put together twirled Catherine away from the horse show, both of them beginning to caress her breasts and snake their hands down the front of her shirt to her ass. Gil looked up from Sara and could see Catherine being man handled by two drunk guys. Quickly he dismounted his Sara horse and went over to them, wanting to get his date back. He staggered over to the man that was about twice his size and had the arms of army tanks, poking him on his shoulder to grab his attention.

"Hey! Back off my girl assholes!" He yelled and then shoved the guy that had his hands on Catherine's breasts.

The man was not going to put up with this and spun with his left fist clenched, slugging Gil across the cheek as he stumbled backwards and landed in the arms of Nick and Warrick. Catherine tried to reach out and help him, but the man that was groping her would not loosen his grip, instead he tightened it. She tried to fight to release herself but it was useless when she was half in the bag, and he was too strong for her to fight off.

Gil staggered back up to his feet with the help of Nick and Warrick, shaking his head as the desert was spinning and his jaw was pulsating in pain. Gil then charged at the man with his head down and arms out as if he was about to do a football tackle. He jumped on the guys back as the man yelped, letting go of Catherine as she fled to the arms of Sara who was now standing by Greg, watching the scene unfold. The other man grabbed Gil by the back and threw him to the ground with a loud thump, the air being knocked out of him for a moment. The guy that was being manhandled by Gil then pounced on him like a cat, squeezing his sides with his thighs and punching him square in the nose. Afraid that something bad was going to happen Nick and Warrick intervened while Catherine screamed wanting it all to end while Sara was crying into Greg's shoulder, their emotions on sensory overload.

Once Nick and Warrick were able to get the guys to back off and rejoin the crowd, leaving Gil on the ground semi conscious Catherine rushed to Gil's side, lightly touching his black eye and split lip with her finger tips. She leaned down and gave him a light kiss on the cheek, running her fingers along his jaw. She used the bottom of her shirt to wipe up the blood that was dribbling down his face.

"That was the second time today you've had to save my life." Catherine whispered and kissed him on his lips ignoring the blood, "You're one handy guy to have around,"

"I think it is time that we leave, all we need is Gil to get into another fight and have matching black eyes," Warrick suggested as he and Catherine helped Gil back to his feet, staggering with every step they took.

"Good idea, I think we have all had our share of excitement for the evening." Greg replied as he wrapped his arm protectively around Sara's shoulders, her head resting on his shoulder, her eyes still blotchy with tears. "At least we made Gil's first rave memorable, if he remember any of this in morning that is."

Everyone erupted into laughter as the group headed back towards Warrick's car, the rave still going strong in the middle of the desert until the wee hours of the morning.

* * *

T.B.C


	9. Chapter 9

**Growing Pains**

**Chapter Nine**

* * *

**- Present Day -**

Gil parked his truck in the driveway and turned off the rumbling engine. He stared at the off white garage door in front of him, his palms sweaty and eyes wide under the dark hue of his sunglasses. Catherine was sitting in the passenger's seat, her hands fidgeting with her pants, picking off small pieces of imaginary lint, trying not to look at Gil, or the overbearing garage door in front of them. After a few moments of apparent uncomfortable silence, Gil removed his seat belt, reached for his door handle to exit the vehicle. Catherine quickly followed suit, still in a bit of shock that her very opportunistic jab at going to his place had paid off. It was not like she had never been in his house before, if anything she was a more frequent guest here than his own mother. This time however, was different. There was no work, no case deadline or paper work to do, the reason she was here was to take this friendship to the next level. To be honest it kind of scared her, this was actually happening and she was not exactly sure what the outcome was going to be.

Catherine closed her door and followed Gil up the pathway to the front door to his condo. He fumbled with the keys, the nervousness becoming apparent as he took his time in unlocking the door to his townhouse. He held it open for Catherine as she smiled and walked into the front foyer, the first thing she noticed was that he had redecorated since the last time she had visited.

The walls were pasty white except for the one on the left that was painted a coffee brown colour. There were pictures of insects and butterflies encased in glass along the left wall, each with a name card of their names in Latin. There was no mistaking that the owner of this place had a thing for insects. Catherine slipped off her shoes and walked down the cool hardwood hall and straight into the living room. The floors had changed to stone tiles, there were small area rugs placed near the two black leather couches that formed an "L" shape. The walls were again that coffee brown colour as Hank, Gil's dog, was curled up on the rug in front of one of the couches, taking his morning nap. The walls were once again lined with framed pictures of bugs and in the far left corner there was a bookcase that was filled to the brim with the classics and then some. The room was quite spacious with a large, black rectangle of a coffee table in the middle of the couches and tall lamps strategically placed throughout the room. Catherine took a seat on one of the leather couches as she looked out the large bay window in front of her able to see the cookie-cutter townhouses across the street, the peak of the Stratosphere hotel and casino on the Strip could be seen in the distance.

It seemed that everything looked different when the place was not riddled with case files and reenactments of crime scenes. Catherine wondered what the rest of the house looked like, such as his bedroom. Just as quickly as those thoughts entered her head she tried to shake them free knowing damn well Gil Grissom was not going to take her to his bedroom. She folded her feet under her on the couch trying to make her legs stop for shaking when her phone vibrated on her hip. She looked down to see it was Sara.

"Kinda busy at the moment Sara." Catherine muttered under her breath glancing up to make sure Gil wasn't in the room.

"Oh yeah? Where are you guys?" Sara replied, Catherine could feel her smile through the phone.

"I'm sitting in Gil's living room."

"Holy shit! He invited you over!"

"Well, no, I basically invited myself." Catherine sighed, closing her eyes, "God I feel so stupid." She muttered.

"You go girl, one of you had to make the first move and let's be honest, we'd be 90 before Gil ever does. I'll leave you two love birds alone, call me later." Sara said, "I'm expecting details."

That was when an idea came to Catherine's mind, "Call the guys, get you and them over here within the next hour, we need a group get together, and this will play famously into our Greg revenge plans."

"What about your alone time with Gil?" Sara asked.

"I'll figure something out, just please, do it."

We'll be their in an hour, just behave at least until then,"

Catherine smiled as she hung up, startled by Gil standing in the doorway to the living room. "Gil, you scared me," She stated, feeling her chest as her heart was beating faster than normal.

Gil smiled nervously, his cheeks becoming beats. "S-sorry, would you care for a drink?" He asked nervously.

Before scaring the crap out of his best friend Grissom was paced up and down the small hallway between his kitchen and his bedroom. His nerves were on high alert, and the fact of going and sitting down beside Catherine Willows in his living room alone without work was just too much for him at the moment. He did remember what happened back at the rave fifteen years ago, he played it up like he didn't in hopes that Catherine would not push the issue. The rave was to him like the Pink Flamingo's was to her. The only reason he even remembers anything is because Nick and Warrick told him the whole story the next day in biology class and it was hard to hide two black eyes. He made sure that none of it was ever uttered to Catherine.

When he poked his head into the living room, catching a glimmer of Catherine's beautiful face in the rising sun through the bay window, his nerves began to relax. He noticed that she was on the phone, probably with Sara who was eagerly awaiting an update on how things were progressing. He only guessed that since he received a text message from both Nick and Warrick asking the same thing. When she was off the phone, that was when he would enter the room and finally tackle his fear. At the sound of his voice Catherine swung her head around looking at him with a smile. At the look of her smile, Gil returned with one, unable to think of doing anything else. She got up off the couch, Gil going almost rigid in place in the threshold. She nodded her head, agreeing to that drink he offered and walked off to the kitchen as if she were the owner of this place.

The walls were done in dark, almost crimson shade red as there were black marble counter tops and stainless steel appliances. The kitchen was a fair size for a condo as Catherine took a seat on one of the stools on the opposite side of the island. Gil quickly busied himself with getting the glasses from the cupboard, his back to Catherine as he grabbed the ice from the freezer, the small cubes clanking against the glass filling the silent room.

"I really like your home Gil, it's very – conservative." Catherine replied as she watched Gil pour some whiskey in each of the cups, Catherine eyebrows raising in skepticism, "Are you trying to get me drunk at nine in the morning?" She questioned with a smile.

"No, but with where this day might lead, I'm going to be needing some of this." Gil replied taking a seat across from Catherine, passing her, her drink.

"I wish it was just whiskey we had that night,"

Grissom blushed at this comment as just sipped his drink slowly not wanting to make a comment about that. The whole year of high school was just one crazy thing after another, ever since he ran into Catherine and her merry band of friends.

"So, what a day huh?" Catherine said trying to break the silence, "I think this has been the most adventure the lab has seen in a long time." She commented and smiled, chasing the beauty with a gulp of whiskey.

"True, I don't even know how we got on the topic of high school. If no one talked about it then maybe we wouldn't be here at my home talking like this...alone...now."

Catherine looked up from her glass right into Gil's blue eyes. She could not tell if he was leading on to something more than friendship until now but, that was her conformation. He was battling the same feelings she was. Now, she needed to find a way to make that theory become more than a figment of their imaginations.

"I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean, I hope you didn't take that the wrong way, I mean, I don't -" Gil blabbered, feeling a loss of words once more and a rush of embarrassment.

"Don't worry Gil," Catherine said as she placed her hand on his, squeezing his fingers gently. "I didn't take it like that, its nice just to talk outside of work, just the two of us and about something other than a case." She reasoned with a smile.

"Yeah, our high school days are so much better than that." Gil replied sarcastically rolling his eyes.

Catherine couldn't help but laugh, "You're just mad because all that's been brought up are embarrassing moments dealing with you."

"Well yeah, it only gets worse from the rave, like when your cheer leading friends stole the letter out of my book and made photocopies of it, placing it all over the school."

Catherine took a hefty swig of her whiskey, almost forgetting about that whole incident. She remembered how stuck up and snotty her team mates on the cheer leading squad were to one another and even worse to others at Horseshoe Valley High. It was the sole reason why she was only still friends with Sara. Now that Gil mentioned the letter it started to come back to her, when she got her hands on a copy of it at first she was pissed at how Gil's privacy was destroyed and then embarrassed at how the letter focused on her. Finally, after lunch once a new rumor had started up and everyone forgot about Gil's puppy dog crush on the head cheerleader, she re-read the letter in the courtyard on her break. It was the most romantic gesture she had ever 'received' from anyone, even though she and Gil had never dated.

"Trust me Gil, there are many moments in high school that were embarrassing for me too." Catherine replied.

"Well, why don't we shine on those for a moment, like prom for example." He stated watching Catherine's eyes get large over the rim of her glass. "I mean I wasn't their but, I sure did hear about what happened, or maybe even, dare I say, The Pink Flamingos."

"Oh you wouldn't!" Catherine shrieked with a smile as she slammed her glass down on the counter top. "Did you not see the disaster in the break room? By the way, Sara and I are plotting revenge on that little weasel."

"Can I join in? And I will not bring up the Pink Flamingos, I have more respect for you than Greg Sanders probably ever will."

Catherine smiled, "Do you want to move this back into the living room? I bet we would be more comfortable," She suggested her hand once again resting on his thigh.

Gil nodded as they walked back into the living room that was now fully lit by the Vegas sun. Catherine cradled the whiskey in her arms as she curled up on the couch, Hank, the ever loving dog, was still sound asleep on the rug in front of her feet, not moving a muscle. She took one end of the leather couch resting her legs one under the other one as her cell phone vibrating on her hip once more.

Catherine looked down to see a text from Sara as a smile crept across her lips. "You'll be expecting visitors within the hour. The whole gang is coming over for a blast from the past session that is well overdue."

"Well, then we better get planning on Greg's revenge." Gil replied with a snicker as he downed the remainder of his drink.

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T.B.C.


	10. Chapter 10

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** Ten Years Earlier **

Catherine closed her locker in the busy hallway and leaned back against it, letting out a large sigh as she waited for Sara to get her books for their next class together. It had been two weeks since the rave out in the desert and since then Gil and Catherine had only spoken to words to one another. Thankfully both of their bruised faces were finally healed but Catherine seemed hopeless to mend his broken heart.

The high schools annual prom was coming up in a couple of days and most of Catherine and Sara's friends had already found dates to the dance of the year. Greg had even gotten enough courage to ask Sara to the prom, in which she accepted, since the two of them had seemed to of become much closer since their time out at the rave. Warrick had found a new girlfriend named Evelyn who attended one of Warrick's classes with him. She was attractive and smart which was a perfect match for one of the start football players. Nick also seemed to have scored an attractive date for the prom by asking a girl named Emily who he had his eyes on for the past month but had been too scared to ask out. He finally worked up the courage at one of Greg's annual pool parties, which seemed to happen at least four times a year.

Catherine believed at the time that everyone was going to have a date besides her. Her and Jeff were still at each other necks about small things and Gil had seemed to of become a hermit and not even talked to Catherine in the past week. It was almost as if he was embarrassed for his actions at the rave, or the ones that he remembers. She thought for sure that Grissom would ask her, each of them knew how much he was attracted to her, and it would be almost as if it was their first date. However, things did not seem to go that way.

Two days prior Jeff had approached Catherine in the hallway with a fresh batch of roses. He had apologized for the way he had been acting and wanted Catherine to forgive him; he even got down on one knee as if to propose to him. Catherine couldn't help but accept his apology and the flowers, which was when Jeff asked her to the prom, she of course said yes.

The next day Catherine was talking in the hallway with a few of her friends during their lunch period when Gil had finally worked up the courage to try and ask Catherine to the prom. It had been the first time in the past two weeks that either of them had even seen one another. He politely asked Catherine if she wanted to be his date to the prom, she could tell that he was shy and that he was getting really embarrassed asking her in front of all her friends. Catherine gently pulled him to the side so she could talk to him in private and told him that Jeff had already asked her and she had said yes.

At this news Gil had gone heart broken, he tried to mask his pain with a slight smile and saying that it was alright and hopes that she will have fun. He then walked away, as Catherine was about to burst into tears because she felt so bad for what she had done. Since then she has not even seen him wondering the halls, and when she asked Warrick and Nick how he was doing they just said that he was not going to the prom and that he seems very depressed. Catherine didn't know what to do.

Catherine was applying the finishing touches to her make up, up stairs in her bedroom. She sat at her vanity, looking over herself one last time and wishing in some way that it was going to be Gil behind her front door in a few moments instead of Jeff. She placed her hands on her soft pink dress, smoothing them over the fabric and trying to hold back her tears. She had tried so many times to make things right between her and Gil, she tried calling, writing him a letter, strategically placing herself outside his classes before he left, but all was useless. He was avoiding her at all costs.

Just then the door bell rang from downstairs which made Catherine jump. She gave herself one more quick over grabbing her hand bag and ran down the stairs to greet her date. She opened up the front door and smiled when she saw Jeff standing there with a beautiful red rose in his hand. He looked handsome all done up in his black tuxedo as the couple left, arms linked around one another down the front path and into his convertible.

The prom was a huge hit, everyone was having a blast dancing to the music being played by the DJ and making memorable moments with classmates before they never saw each other again. Everyone of the group was there accept for Grissom, it just did not seem to be the same without him around, since everyone had been getting used to his presence. Greg and Sara were dancing up a storm, as if they were back out at the rave while Warrick and Nick were having the times of their lives with their dates. Catherine was trying to have as much fun as she could with Jeff, but all the time she thought of Gil and how cute of a dance he was.

"I'm going to go and get some punch, you want anything?" Jeff asked Catherine as she shook her head no and joined her group of friends on the dance floor.

Jeff watched Catherine from a distance, mesmerized by the movements she was able to make with her gorgeous body. He poured himself a glass of punch as one of his buddies came up and stood beside him slapping him on the back.

"Man I cannot believe you convinced Catherine to go to the prom with you, what the hell you did?" he asked as he was scoping out the dance floor for some hot women.

"I fed her some bullshit about loving her and gave her roses, it worked quite well." Jeff replied as he took a sip of punch.

"I'm surprised she took you back after what her and the new kid did out at the rave in the desert a couple of weeks ago,"

Jeff glared at his friend, "Why what happened?" he asked.

"I guess they were getting down and dirty out their, but he's too chicken shit to ask her to like the most important dance in high school, I guess that makes you the rebound guy," his friend said and laughed leaving Jeff alone at the punch bowl.

Jeff was now fuming, he finished his punch in one gulp and stalked back on to the dance floor towards Catherine who was laughing and having a fun time with her friends. Jeff couldn't hold back his anger any long and grabbed Catherine tightly by the wrist and swung her around so that her eyes would be able to meet with his. The fun left Catherine as a shooting pain was coursing up and down her arm.

"Can I talk to you in private for a minuet?" Jeff hissed and Catherine just nodded in agreement as he pulled her through the crowd and over to one of the bleachers away from everyone.

"What's the matter Jeff? Thanks for hurting my wrist," Catherine replied and massaged the sore area.

"What the hell were you in geek boy doing at the rave a couple of weeks ago?" Jeff demanded.

"Nothing, we were just having a little bit of fun,"

"My buddy told me a little different, he said he saw you two dirty dancing with one another all night long. I thought you loved me Catherine and not the damn scientist!"

"I thought you loved me too Jeff, until, as I remember correctly you punched me across the face on the football field, yeah that shows a lot of caring on your part!" Catherine spat back at him turning to walk away.

Jeff grabbed her wrist again pulling her back towards him, "Don't you dare walk away from me!" he yelled, and ripped one of the straps on her dress.

Warrick and Nick came running through the crowd of people, they had known that something bad was going to be going down, they knew Jeff to well. When ever he wanted to talk to a girl in private it always meant trouble. They could see the Catherine was not going to be winning this, the fear in her eyes was telling it all. Warrick ran up to the unhappy couple and slugged Jeff right across the face, which made him let go of Catherine.

Catherine, who was in tears, ran from the guys as Sara ran after her to see what the matter was. She had finally caught up with her friend in the girls bathroom just down the hall, her sobbing could be heard from the silent hallway. Sara walked in, and sat down with her friend, throwing an arm around her shoulders and giving her a well deserved hug.

"Why do these things always happen to me Sara?" Catherine asked in between her sobs.

"I don't know hun, all I know is that Jeff is a jerk and you should just stay clear of him from now on." Sara replied wiping some of her friends tears with her hands.

"I know, it was so stupid of me to decided to go with him I should have came with Gil, we would have been having fun and we would still be talking to one another and still be friends. He hates me now Sara, I broke his heart when I didn't even mean too, I mean I love him,"

"I know you do Cath, trust me when ever I see you thinking about him or how much I remember from the rave and the look on your face when you were dancing with him, it was like you guys were meant for one another. I mean I know you messed up, but everyone makes mistakes and I'm sure that Gil will be able to forgive you for what you did, he's an understanding guy, and he loves you more than anything in the world. Why would he try to give that up?"

"You really think so Sara?" Catherine questioned, hope gleaming in her eyes.

"I know so Cath," Sara replied and gave her a gap toothed smile.

Two weeks after the Prom had come and gone Catherine and Gil were still not talking with one another. However, that little complication was put on the back burner because Catherine was beginning to have problems at home. Her mother, the only parent she had living with her in her house had began to nag on Catherine constantly, saying that she was going out and partying way too much and that she needed to find a job to support her drinking habits. Every night at the dinner table it was the same thing, screaming matches and broken dishes, Catherine stomping off to her room where she cried herself to sleep most of the time.

It seemed that every evening it was the same thing over and over again, her mother would come home from work, they would argue, Catherine would go upstairs for the night and her mother would go out of meet with her new boy toy of the month. Eventually Catherine was getting fed up and talked to Sara about her troubles at home. Sara, being the good friend that she was offered that Catherine spends some nights at her place and get away from the whole drama scene at home. It soon became every day after school Catherine would just go to Sara's and not even bother to go home until after Catherine knew her mother was gone for the evening.

It was Friday, the last day of the week and the best day of the week. Sara and Catherine were walking into their last class, which ended up being chemistry. Both of them were excelling in it with great marks and the teacher had even given them extra assignments to complete. They took their regular seats within the class, waving or smiling a hello to their fellow friends as they walked by. The two girls had a table to themselves, with two taps and a sing in the middle for when they experiment.

"Sara, we need to find a job, a well paying one at that," Catherine suggested flipping open her notebook and textbook to the next chapter they were going to cover.

"The only job in this town that is like that for girls are age is the strip bars," Sara replied and saw the smile grow on Catherine's lips, "What are you smiling about? I bet your idea is going to involve me in some way,"

"Yes, I know exactly where to go too. Sam Braun, the man my mom has been seeing at night time goes to one specific club on the strip that ends up to be hiring right now, we should go and check it out after school today,"

"Are you serious? Our moms would shoot us if they found out we were stripping at a bar,"

Catherine's smile broadened, "Who says they need to know, and my mom did say that I did need to find a well paying job,"

Meanwhile Gil was sitting in his biology class trying to read about photosynthesis but had a hard time concentrating on the information in front of him. He knew that it was foolish to stay mad at Catherine, considering the whole ordeal had happened almost a month ago now. She didn't even do anything wrong, he should have guessed that she was going to go to prom with Jeff, I mean they were dating when he met her, and she did not say she was officially broken up with him or anything. If anything he was mad at himself for not working up the courage to ask her sooner rather than later and he was just using Catherine as a scapegoat to his own feelings.

The rest of the guys were sitting with Grissom at their usual table in the class room at the back. Greg was sitting beside Gil, seeing now that he had been on the same page in the text book for the last twenty minuets. It didn't take Greg long to figure out that Gil was back day dreaming and he would bet his life on it being about Catherine. The four guys had stuck together like glue the past few weeks, doing everything together and hardly seeing the girls. All of them knew how Gil was, his feeling down mood had not even gone away when they went on of the roller coasters on the strip, because the guys knew that he loved roller coasters. They knew that it was tearing him apart at school because science is his favourite subject and he was unable to concentrate on anything that was sitting in front of him.

"Hey Gil," Greg said giving him a nudge to ruin his daydreaming, "What you thinking about?"

"N-Nothing, just trying to make sense of this photosynthesis," Gil replied looking at the guys.

"If you're still in love with her you should talk to her, I know for a face she still loves you. Every time we are around her you're the only thing she talks about." Nick replied with a smile.

Gil's ears perked with interest at the sound of them knowing that the love her shared for Catherine was not only one sided. She was returning it to him, even if she was not showing it. Gil had been wanting to talk to Catherine for the longest time but he was unsure if she actually wanted to talk to him or not. Of course, why would she have a reason not to talk to him? I mean she did nothing wrong, it was all his fault.

"You mean she still loves me, or is at least interested in me?" Gil asked with hope in his voice.

"Did someone tell you what she said in the bathroom after prom?" Warrick questioned. The bell rang and everyone left to go home for the weekend, "She told Sara that she loves you, and wishes that she took your offer to the prom instead of Jeff's." he finished patting his fiend on the back as they headed down the hall.

"Really?"

"Now Gil, would we lie to you? I mean we want you and Cath to hook up, it would be the relationship of the century!" Greg replied as everyone else nodded in agreement.

"You should talk to her again Gil, she really does feel bad about what happened, but she never says anything to you because she thinks your still mad at her for what she did at prom. You should tell her how you feel, and that everything is alright and you don't blame her for anything. Try to – rekindled the love that you too have for one another all over again. Plus this time there will be no competition in your way," Nick replied and wrapped his arm around Gil's Nick, "Also, the group is not the same without you in it," as another full group nod commenced.

"Alright, I'll try and talk to her then," Gil replied and then spotted her in the hallway at her locker putting her books away for the weekend, "Now or never, thanks guys," he said and began to walk towards her and Sara on his own.

Gil had a smile on his face, knowing that this time he was not going to stutter his words with fear, he knew that both of them needed one another and that his was his big chance to get back together with Catherine. Gil looked back to see that his friends were gone, which was probably a good thing because if it was like a big scene he may of become nervous.

Gil was coming up to them; he could see them standing their waiting for one another before they left for the weekend. Sara had looked back and caught a glimpse of Gil walking towards them. The only reason he knew that was because Sara nudged Catherine in the shoulder, whispering in her ear that he was on his way. That was when he caught a glimpse of Catherine's beautiful face that he had missed so much; his heart even skipped a few beats.

"Hey Gil, long time no see," Sara replied as she gave him a hug as if she had not seen him in months.

"Yeah schools been pretty preoccupying," Gil replied and looked at Catherine, "How have you been? I heard about prom and I'm so sorry that happened to you, I know that you did not deserve it, that you are better then that humiliation," he said and gave Catherine a hug as well, it was the first contact with her since the rave.

It took Catherine a few moments to reply, "Thanks Gil, I mean I have been doing alright, just about to go job hunting since my mom is breathing down my neck about getting one." Catherine replied and smiled, "Maybe we can go for burgers some time soon, but right now if we don't leave we'll miss the next bus," Catherine gave him a peck on the cheek, "See you later,"

Sara and Catherine left their lockers as Gil still stood there, his cheek going numb from where Catherine had last kissed it as his heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest. He knew for a fact now that he really did have a chance with her, and that this time he was not going to blow it.

TBC again soon:o)...

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	11. Chapter 11

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**Author's Note: I know, I know it's taken me awhile to update this, but i've been super busy with univeristy and work...I have alot more than this wrote out on paper, and will be updated soon on my christmas break coming up soon after my exams...but until then hopefully this chapter will tie you over...Don't get me wrong i love hearing you want more, and at sometime i'll actually finish this story LOL! keep reviews I loves you all! XoXo**

**BoOkwOrMgUrl **

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**Chapter Eleven**

**Ten Years Later **

Catherine and Grissom had finished their beers and were laughing at everything one the other was saying, even if it was not even funny. Having alcohol at the wee hours of the morning made a person intoxicated faster, but neither of them cared, for they did not have to go into work until later that night.

Just then the door bell rang and both of them knew that it was their expected guests that were to arrive in an hour. It would be the first time that Grissom would be having the whole graveyard shift over at his house for a gathering that was not work related. It was going to defiantly be a new experience for the whole team, and might even become a ritual thing for the team to do to unwind after a long hard shift.

Both Catherine and Grissom got up off of the couch and walked down the hallway towards the front door. They both had smiles on their faces and Catherine had her arm wrapped around Grissom's neck which neither of them seemed to have noticed or seemed to have cared was happening. Gil opened the door to the sight of Sara ad Greg standing there with a bottle of wine.

"Don't you two look friendly," Sara said and that was when Catherine and Grissom realized how affectionate the looked.

"Well are you just going to stand their all day or let us in," Greg replied as his colleagues separated from one another as if the other was on fire.

Sara and Greg walked through the hall ending up in the kitchen, since that was where the hallway had taken them. Gil and Catherine were right on their heels, but not entwined with one another instead they walked behind one another avoiding eye contact. Greg was going through all of the cupboards like a jumping bean, and seemed to be looking for something in particular.

"Where are your glasses Griss, I'm dying for some of that wine Sara brought over," Greg asked with a smile.

"A true alcoholic speaking their, for someone who wants to drink at ten o'clock in the morning," Sara replied as she popped the cork off of the top.

Catherine and Grissom just glared at one another and began to laugh knowing they had drank some beer already, which it was earlier in the morning at that time, so technically they were the alcoholics as well. That was when the doorbell rang for a second time and Gil left the small group in the kitchen to go and answer it.

"Yeah and your defiantly not the alcoholic for buying and bringing the wine over huh Sara," Catherine replied as everyone erupted into laughter.

"Sounds like a party in here!" Nick replied walking into the kitchen with a smile on his face, "Wow what alcoholics we are, I mean how could you drink win at such an early hour in the day," he snickered as he put a case of beer on the counter, "It's time for beer instead!"

Everyone laughed once again as they sipped their win or cracked open a nice cold beer. Everyone ventured into the living room which was more spacious and comfortable then the cramped kitchen and took a seat to relax and enjoy their day off before going back into work in the evening.

"Oh, Catherine and Grissom sitting on the couch together, how earth shattering!" Greg commented as they all laughed once again.

"Greg did you ever grow up from high school? Or did you just decided to keep that immaturity for the rest of your life," Warrick asked.

"I thought the answer to that question would be answered every day when you walk into the lab and listen to the man speak and look at how he dresses, so childish," Catherine retorted causing another eruption of laughter to fill the spacious living room.

"Alright, alright, good one guys, but speaking of high school, where did we leave off our conversation in the break room?" Greg replied with a large grin on his face.

"The last time there was a mention about high school an apple got creamed into apple sauce." Nick stated.

"Grissom and I already discussed the rave we went to in which we don't remember many details from, over breakfast this morning at the restaurant Sara got kicked out of," Catherine said.

"Ha, yeah I remember both those things, what a fun night huh guys?"

"I forgot all about that, and I cannot even blame it on the glowing test tubes you guys were ranting about, 'it tastes like the rainbow!'" Warrick relied mocking Greg everyone laughed, "Oh yeah, and that girl, Krissy was her name, threw up all over me after telling me that she loves me. I heard she works at one of the strip clubs in town; I hope she's as hot as she was back then."

"I wouldn't count on it Warrick," Sara replied and then giggled.

Greg sat up in his chair at the sound of strip club being admitted into the room. He wondered if he would be able to take a second stab at talking about the Pink Flamingos without getting the crap beaten out of him. Before Greg could even say anything about it Grissom intervened.

"Speaking of strip clubs, why don't we talk about, dare I say, The Pink Flamingos?" Grissom replied which baffled everyone, "Now Cath, if your going to throw anything make sure that it is aimed at Greg," he added making everyone laugh.

"Nah, that wouldn't be punishment enough, but if you want to talk about it go right ahead," Catherine replied placing her hand on Gil's knee as Sara raised her eye brow skeptically.

"You mean you won't get mad if we do?" Greg asked hope tinged each word he spoke.

"Nope, just before we do I need a little touch of wine," Catherine looked at Gil and smiled, "Darling do you mind getting the bottle off the kitchen counter?" she asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"No of course not, don't start talking until I get back, I don't want to miss out on any of the good stuff," Gil replied and disappeared into the kitchen.

Everyone gave Catherine a sideways glance, wondering what had happened to their older colleagues. The shyness Gil ad once possessed when he was around Catherine was finally gone and Catherine was being more flirtatious then her usual self around him. They all knew that this would happen eventually, they just did not expect it to be so blatant.

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**TBC very, very soon:o) **


	12. Chapter 12

**Author Note:** Okay Okay I know it has been awhile, but I do have some more for you guys to enjoy of this story. Hope ya'll love it and more will be coming soon since I'm now on summer vactaion. I love you all and keep on reviewing and reading. Xo

**Ten Years Earlier**

Sara and Catherine caught the bus a couple of blocks away from the school and headed downtown to scout out some jobs. As the bus ride prolonged they went further into the heart of Sin City so to speak, since they were now in the area known as Striporama. It was the place in Las Vegas that was known more to the tourists then the citizens, for a strip club is a strip club after you have seen a dozen of them.

Catherine rang the bell on the bus to indicate their stop was going to be the next one. The two girls exited the bus and headed down the side walk towards the club called The Pink Flamingos. There was a large Pink Flamingo made of neon lights in the front of the club with two pole dancers on either side of it moving up and down the pole.

The front parking lot was already packed with cars and it was only Wednesday in the middle of the afternoon. Sara and Catherine cautiously walked through the front doors as a big man with long black hair and tattoos up and down his arms as he was guarding the doors at the end of the hall, making sure only the right people go in.

The walls leading into the club were covered in pictures of either naked or virtually naked women posing for pictures which were mostly in perverted positions. The pink light that cascaded down form the roof gave the pictures a euphoric feeling. Sara could just imagine them having to do this to have to be able to work here.

"Are you sure about this Cath? I mean is it even safe for us to be here, we could get killed." Sara replied as she gave the man a nervous smile.

"I'm positive Sara, like you said this is the best paying job for girls our age in this town," Catherine replied and looked at the man, "I'm a friend of Sam Braun, as well as looking to start a job here," she replied batting her eyelashes.

The man gave Catherine and Sara a once over. He licked his chapped lips enjoying the view Sara and Catherine were giving him. It had been such a long time since he had laid eyes upon some fresh meat. As soon as he saw them he knew they would get the job by just walking in the place, for their looks were amazing and flawless which made some of the experienced ones look meek and run down.

He pushed open the door allowing them to enter their new born hell. Catherine and Sara made their way inside listening to the men slapping their hands on the tables and whistling at the girls on the stage. The music was blaring through the small dimly lit building with people shaking their beautifully sculpted hips to the beat. Their was two rows of men that were around the stage, up close and personal with the dancers on stage.

There was a bar on the right hand side of the club. People were sitting on stools talking drink after drink as if it were water. People were playing games of pool at the end of the club ever so often watching the dancer on stage. Most of the time who were lost bought the winner a lap dance. Women dressed almost in nothing were sitting on peoples laps caressing their cheeks and whispering promises they would never keep into their ears.

Sara just followed Catherine around the pink tinged lighting that was overhead each of the tables. She had never been inside a club like this before; it was as if everyone's eyes were on them as they walked down each isle. Finally Catherine had found Sam; he was sitting in a booth in the far corner surrounded by young attractive women, of course none of them being Catherine's mother. It was a good and bad thing, good for Catherine if she wants to live until she is thirty and bad because the care that Catherine's mom thinks is solely for her is also for the money of seeing naked women.

"Mugs," Sam said seeing Catherine approaching him, "What are you doing here? Your mother would kill you if she knew you were here," He replied, his tone with the worry of a father.

"Same could be side about you Sam," Catherine replied flashing a smile, "My friend Sara and I are looking to get jobs here for the summer to help with school, you think you could pull some strings to get us in here?" she asked looking him dead in the eyes.

"What would my influence do mugs, I mean I'm no owner,"

"You might as well be, you're here often enough to co-own the place. Plus you're a big shot hotel owner, your influence means everything."

Braun could not agree more with that statement. Catherine knew how to play hard ball when she really had a chance. She was a splitting image of her mother in both looks and brains. He also knew how stubborn Catherine could be if she did not get her way.

"This isn't a place for classy young ladies such as yourselves Cath, why don't you get a job waitressing or something." Braun countered as the girls on his sides giggled.

"This also is not a place for men with lovers back at home wondering where the missing part of their heart gallivanted off too this time. Half the time, I have to listen to her cry herself to sleep." Catherine replied as she watched the expressions on the girls faces change, it looks like they do actually have a heart after all.

Braun knew that she had a point, and would blackmail him no problem if she ever got the opportunity to strike. "You drive a hard bargain mugs; but if I do this we both have to keep our mouths shut, you hear?"

"Deal, thanks Sam, our lips are sealed."

"Better be or I'll send what is left of the Siegel mob after you both," Braun replied and snaked his way out of the booth heading over to the bar to meet with the owner.

Catherine just smiled as she looked over at Sara and could see the frightened expression on her fact. They watched as Braun walked up to the bar, just as if he owned the place and began small talk with the bartender who also happened to be the owner of the club.

"You just blackmailed a multimillionaire with the ownership of three casinos on the strip and ties to the mafia," Sara replied as they walked towards the bar, "You are my hero," she said and they both laughed.

Catherine and Sara approached the bar with smiles on their faces and twinkles of excitement in their eyes. Catherine knew that the man would be suicidal if he did not accept Braun's offer. Talk about loosing a welling paying customer, and your job, and your life.

The bartender looked over at the girls and fell in love with both of them. They were exactly what the club needed, some fresh meat that would bring in more profit for the club in general. He saw the potential that these women possessed and did want to throw it away and wait to see if something better would come along.

He smiled giving Sam a pat on the back for the great job he had done at finding him some new dancers to put up on the stage and to entertain his guests. He could not wait to see them on stage undressing them and grinding their hot bodies against the poles.

"Thanks Sam, for this you are allowed three lap dancers on the house, with your pick of any lovely lady in this joint," the man replied a smile radiating his lips.

"I already know what ones I want," Braun replied.

"My name is Eddie and I'm the owner of The Pink Flamingos as well as the bar tender. Both of you are defiantly hired, and being on the weekend at eight o'clock sharp. I'll make both of you girl's stars," Eddie replied.

Catherine and Sara looked at one another and smiled just imagining the money they would be making and the things they will be doing.


	13. Chapter 13

**Ten Years Later**

"No way! You bribed Sam Braun so you could work at the Pink Flamingos!" Greg replied and downed his third beer. "How does it make you feel that now you know he is your father?"

Catherine had been trying to keep that image out of her head for a long time. The thought of her own biological father, who knew before hand that Catherine was his daughter, had gotten her a job at the strip club. Not only did Sam get her the job he had seen her dance, and once had gotten a lap dance. The memory of her father's hands pawing at her hips made it enough to be considered incest.

She had never thought twice when she was up on that stage dancing to the beat of the music and thinking about the money that she was making off of the silly needy men that were sitting at those tables every night. Her partying and by that time a cocaine habit had began to feed on Catherine's life, at that time her mother had convinced her that her father was dead and as long as her mother never entered the club and saw her little girl on stage everything was going to be alright.

The whole time Catherine worked at the Pink Flamingos her mother believed she and Sara had gotten night shifts at McDonalds down on Blue Diamond Road. The idea had seemed to work and each of them was making good money.

"Catherine?" Gil said touching her legs gently which made her jump back into reality, "Sorry I-I didn't mean to scare you," he apologized as a blush crept across her cheeks.

"It's alright Gil I was going down a road I should never try to remember," Catherine replied and smiled, "As for your comment Greg, I never hope to think of it in that context ever in my life." Her toned tightened with every word she spoke which made Greg nervous.

Sara smiled knowing that with every word Greg said to Catherine made the plan get back at him even sweeter. She kept her mouth shut, curling up on her chair and sipping away at her glass of wine. Time would come when Greg was going to get his just deserts.

"The only thing I remember about the Pink Flamingos was when we went their that one night to cheer up a certain somebody." Warrick replied as Sara spit all of the wine she had in her mouth across the room and in Greg's face.

Everyone erupted into a fit of laughter as Greg whipped it all off his face. Sara tried to apologize but it was useless because she was laughing so hard.

"Yeah, that was a good time, I mean seeing you girls like that up on stage is amazing! Could we see that again?" Nick replied as pillows were shot at his face.

"Of course that would be something Nick would want to remember however I bet he forgets the stripper in the pink nurse's uniform he tried to get a lap dance from and failed," Sara replied as Nick shot back one of the pillows she shot at him.

Accept Nick had missed Sara's face and hit the glass of wine that was in her head spilling it all down the front of her white tank top. Sara looked up at Nick as everyone went silent, wondering what exactly was going to happen next.

"Oh- Sara-I-I" Nick stuttered an apology as everyone was laughing, to drunk to realize what was going on.

"I never liked this shirt anyways," Sara said snorting a laugh.

Nick joined in as everyone laughed even harder at Sara's snorting like a pig. It seemed that this was exactly what everyone needed to wind down at the end of a grueling graveyard shift.


	14. Chapter 14

**Ten Years Earlier**

Catherine and Sara smiled as they walked down the hallway to the back dressing room already dressed in their outfits for the night. It was their third week on the job and everything was going as planned. Both girls had been making more then enough money to live on, and their parents had been clueless since the beginning. It was all going well the guys at school all looked at them as if they were goddesses. The biggest news flooding around the school was Catherine's newest lover. His name was Eddie Willows, the owner of the club. As soon as he saw her once on stage he had fallen in love with Catherine's beauty and grace. He had to have her, he asked Catherine out on date one night after work and since then they had been inseperatable.

Gil of course had caught wind of what was going on with Catherine and her never lover, he became depressed all over again and the guys wanted to cheer him up. Gil knew that Eddie was an owner to a strip club, but did not know that Catherine and Sara worked their as dancers. To be honest, non of the guys knew the girls worked their, which made going to the Pink Flamingo's a very interesting and entertaining evening.

"Come on Gil let us cheer you up by taking you out for a night on the Las Vegas strip," Nick's voice cracked over his phone.

"I don't know Nick, I mean I have a massive long of homework and I have a project due on Monday that I need to make sure is perfect for the extra marks," Gil replied, he was not in a partying mood.

"Oh come one, nothing harmless about hanging out with your friends on a Friday night. I mean it will get your mind off of Catherine, and it will be fun, that I promise you,"

Gil couldn't help but crack a smile as he let out a large sigh, "Alright, but I'm not staying out late, I have a busy weekend with school work."

"Yeah alright Gil, we will be their in fifteen minutes, be ready," Nick replied and hung up.

Just like Nick had promised him, and Warrick were at Gil's doorstep in fifteen minutes and like Gil was ordered he was ready to go out. Dressed in a pair of khakis and a blue plaid shirt Gil walked to the black thunderbird and hoped into the back seat. He anticipated a surprise to be sitting their like before when they picked up the girls, but there was nothing back their but a few magazines and burger wrappers.

"Hey Gil, you look like you are dressed to attend a chess match," Warrick replied as he gave a slight snicker.

"I though I would look nice encase we run into the girls sometime along our night out," Gil replied, he tried to hide the redness in his cheeks from embarrassment.

"Oh we'll be seeing girls alright, just not Sara and Catherine," Nick replied and smiled patting Gil on the back.

"What do you mean?"

"The best cure for a man heartbroken is the sight of dancing women on stage in their underwear. I mean no guy could resist going down to Striporama. All of their suffering will be cured by the education of a beautiful woman."

Gil's eyes widened in wonderment, he had never been to a strip bar before, he remembered how his mother used to say that strip clubs were where the devils daughters play and the condemned go to watch. It was just as much of a sin to watch as it was to be a dancer. That theory had always deterred Gil from experiencing many things in his life. As everyone else would say you only live once.

Warrick pulled into Greg's driveway as the young man who was dressed in a popular punk band t-shirt and faded blue jeans ran to the vehicle. His short blonde hair was spiked and he had the biggest smile across his lips. Greg hopped into the back seat, sitting beside Gil as he gave his friend a pat on the back.

"Hey Gil, ready to go to boy heaven," Greg said and smiled even broader.

Gil just nervously smiled and nodded his head. The quicker the night was going to be over the better it was going to be.

Catherine and Sara were sitting in the back dressing room of The Pink Flamingos. They stared at themselves in the mirror, due to be on stage for their double act in a few moments. The girls were dressed in matching pink, fluffy negligees as makeup masked their eyes and lips, their hair was down around their shoulders and curled.

Everyone at the club had become envious of the two new hires. They were jealous of their looks and natural talent, which would create very uneasy situations in the dressing room and out on stage. Sara and Catherine were taking the majority of their customers and making the double the amount of money with their lap dances. The other girls were mad that Eddie had made them stars of the club and hardly cared about any of the other dancers in the club. Everyone was envious of the romantic relationship of Catherine and Eddie, each of them had wanted what Catherine was able to achieve.

The other dancers had been promised numerous things by Eddie, dancing contacts in music videos as well as pieces of jewelry, however he had never came through, accept when it came to Catherine. Whatever Catherine had wanted or did not even want but he thought she needed it would be right their waiting for her when she came to work. Overall this made for some bitter fights between dancers, which usually resulted in bloodshed.

Eddie poked his head into the dressing room as Catherine's eyes lit up with happiness and a smile spread across her glittered lips. He came over to the dressing table, and wrapped his arms around her bar shoulders giving her a hug from behind. In between his fingers was dangling a gold necklace with a diamond encrusted in the bottom of it.

"Eddie! You didn't!" Catherine shrieked at the sight of the jewelry. She spun around in her chair and gave him a hug with a kiss on each of the cheeks.

"When I saw it in one of the jewelry stores in the Venetian Hotel I thought of how beautiful it would look around your neck Catherine," Eddie replied and smiled as he clasped it around her neck, "I love you Catherine," he whispered into her ear and gave her a kiss on the cheeks.

"I love you to Eddie, I'm sorry but we have to go shine out on stage,"

Eddie left the dressing room as Sara and Catherine both shared the room putting the last poof in their hairs and the last swipe of gloss and glitter over their lips. Catherine popped her lips and then left heading towards the stage as the song was about to end. She turned around when she realized that Sara wasn't following her.

"What's the matter Sarbear?" Catherine stopping in the doorway.

"Nothing Cat, lets go make some money," Sara replied and smiled. She placed the envelope she had in her hands back in her purse and went to go catch up with Catherine.

Gil, Nick, Warrick and Greg walked in through the front doors to The Pink Flamingos. They found a four seating table in the back of the club and waited until the next dancer was to appear on the stage. Gil was memorized by the look of the place. It was like something out of a movie, the walls were black with flashing lights illuminated flamingos were ground the building done in pink neon lights. The place was packed with greedy men wanting to see what new hellion had been produced.

Gil wondered if this was the club that Eddie was the owner of. He wondered if maybe by chance he would see Catherine. The thought of seeing the two of them together would make him sick to his stomach. He tried not to think about it but it was useless, he loved Catherine, and he would not be able to hide his affections for her if he came across her.

"So Gil, what do you think of the place?" Nick asked as he eyed the numerous women dressed in nothing but a bra and underwear.

"It sure is different," Gil replied with a smile.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you the stars of this club, the ones that make the men drool, and the ones that make the other women jealous. Please welcome to the floor Captivating Cat and Seducing Sara!" the DJ announced as the room erupted into cheers and screams.

Sara and Catherine walked up the steps and across the stage to the poles welded into the stage dressed in their matching pink teddies and posed waiting for their music to start. They did not seem to notice the guys in the back of the club sitting in their chairs with their mouths wide open and eyes glued on the stage.

Grissom looked from one guy to another with an evil glare, wondering if all of this was a set up, but when he looked at their faces they were just as surprised as he was. No one had known about Catherine and Sara's after school job, they were always gone before any of them could even reach their lockers and they were always busy on the weekends, now they knew why.

None of the guys spoke a single word to one another while the girls were up on the stage. They watched as Catherine and Sara swayed their hips to the beat, touching each other in provocative and sexual ways. All of them stared in awe as they began to undress up on stage as the other men in the place hooted and hollered even louder. It would probably be the only time any of the guys would be able to see them naked.

"All I can say is wow," Nick replied as they all just nodded their head is a silent agreement.

"Imagine if they knew we were here, I bet they would kill us. I mean there was a reason why they were always gone and never said anything to anyone." Warrick replied his eyes on the stage.

They all stared as they watched two young guys from the front row laid down on the stage with twenty dollar bills in their mouths. They stayed their like obedient dogs as a naked Catherine and Sara crawled across the stage like prowling cats, licking their lips as they bent down to grab the money out of their mouths and ran their fingers down their bodies. This caused another round of hollering to be administered into the room.

"One of us should go up their and get that done, I wonder how much the girls would freak out," Greg replied with a grin on his face.

"I nominate Gil, I think Catherine would die if that happened." Nick replied nudging his friend in the shoulder.

"I think to even consider doing that I would have to be drunk," Gil replied as everyone laughed.

The song ended as another began, and Sara and Catherine began to dance all over again. The men hollered even louder, even though Gil thought that was not even possible, wanting more than what they had received in the first dance. They were already naked and now they were doing acrobatic moves on the poles, putting their cheerleading moves to good use.

After the second song ended the girls picked up their clothes and went off the stage. The men in the club booed, not wanting the girls to leave the stage. The announcer came on the overhead speaker once again saying the girls would be back for their final song and then out prowling the floor for more guys to seduce.

"Did you guys see the size of the diamond on the necklace Catherine was wearing around her neck? It must have blinded the people in perverts' row," Gil replied as music played to fill the gap while the girls went to change.

"Yeah, that was exactly what we were looking at," Greg replied sarcastically as all the guys laughed.

Gil's face went red with embarrassment as the song ended and the girls came back out on stage dressed in a black bra and black lace thong. They walked back to their poles wearing their stiletto silver heels, ready to do their last dance of the evening. Before the song even started the men were already going crazy with the screams and slapping their hands on the tables. Gil wanted to join in but he was too afraid that would bring attention towards the guys and embarrass the girls. Their final song blared through the speakers as the girls began coiling their bodies around their poles like poisonous snakes in the dessert. It amazed Gil how the girls were able to control their bodies in such crazy, and powerful position.

It was as if the girls were doing gymnastics on stage with flips and splits. They were using their cheerleading capabilities to the max. The more creative the girls got the more excited the guys became. It was as if they were watching sexual circus performers on stage, it was better than going to see Cirque De Solae.

When they song finished everyone stood clapping and cheering, slapping their hands on the table so hard Gil thought they would split in two. Even he and the guys stood, amazed by the show and amazed by the women. It was the best strip show any of them had ever seen. The girls disappeared off stage one last time to change into their final outfits of the evening.

"I think we should leave now before the girls spot us, I wouldn't want to embarrass them any more than I'm sure they already are," Gil replied.

"No way man, the night is just beginning my friend. You need to con a lap dance out of Cath," Greg replied with a smile as the rest of the men nodded in approval.

"A lap dance?"

"A private show in the back where you pay her to see her dance especially for you," Nick replied, "I'm sure Catherine would jump at the chance to do that for you,"

"I-I don't know guys, I mean what if this is the club that her boyfriend works at. I'm sure he would not want to have an old flame with his girl," Gil replied trying to make any excuse to not do this.

"If he was so concerned about something like that I don't think Catherine would be a stripper. Plus technically you my friend are not an old flame, since that you of you never did go on an official date, the rave does not count since you both were all drugged up." Warrick clarified as he watched the girls emerge from the back change rooms "I bet if you get one done you'll never forget it for a million years," he whispered into Gil's ear with a smile

Sara and Catherine began their usual walks around the tables dressed in see through lingerie and small pink fluffy purses. Catherine was the one who spotted the guys in the corner far in their back of the club. She nudged Sara to look and when she did her face went beat red with embarrassment. Now her best friends had seen every part of her body.

"What the hell are they doing here?" Sara hissed as they walked closer.

"I don't know, rats Gil is leaving, I was going to ask him if he wanted a lap dance." Catherine replied.

"Catherine! Are you insane, first of all Gil will never go for it, secondly your boyfriend owns the club, and thirdly the whole school will know about this in the morning, we'll be the queen sluts of Horseshoe Valley."

"Sara your being paranoid, plus if Eddie is going to be that jealous of a lap dance then why am I a stripper? I mean it's not like Gil and I dated."

The guys watched as the girls separated. Catherine headed towards the bar as Sara was still on her way towards the table. The smile she had on her face was mesmerizing and the strut she had in her clear heels was captivating. Sara didn't waste any time, knowing exactly who out of the guys wanted her presence the most. Her eyes met Greg's as the seduction began; he was the one that she wanted.

Greg's face went beat red as he moved his chair back from the table, spreading his legs that were shaking slightly and awaited his goddesses presence. Sara walked closer to him, placing her heel on the chair in between his legs as he got a perfect view of everything. Greg tried to keeps his gaze up to her beautiful face but she was too hot to handle.

Sara cupped his chin in her soft hands, beginning to caress it. It was like Greg was placed in a hypnotic trance as her other hand moved across the top of her body, running it across her breasts.

"If you want to see, than follow me," Sara whispered, licking her lips as Greg practically jumped out of his seat and followed her to the back rooms.


	15. Chapter 15

**Ten Year Later**

Everyone at Grissom's was laughing so hard that it was difficult for them to catch their breath. It was the first and last time Greg had received a lap dance from Sara and Sara planned on keeping it that way.

"I still cannot believe you girls worked their, I mean it just did not seem to be something two beautiful smart well put together girls would do for a job," Nick replied polishing off his fourth beer.

"Yeah well it sort of was inevitable, I mean it is Vegas," Sara replied with a smile as everyone agreed.

"What did happen back there? I mean to this day Greg has never spoken a word of what went down," Warrick asked.

"Wow Warrick, you really do suck at lying, I know for a fact that little rodent did not keep his trap shut about such a once and a life time opportunity. I mean come on Warrick; all of you guys are tighter than stitching in clothing." Catherine replied firing a pillow at Warrick's face.

"Hey! I take those insults to heart! Plus I never did divulge any information about the kinkiness that went down that night it was left between me, Sara and my memory." Greg replied trying to defend himself.

"You better not have told anyone, because if I find out that you have then your days in DNA will become a living nightmare," Sara sternly threatened as a wicked smile across her lips.

Greg took a deep breath scared of what Sara was capable of doing, "Well at least I am not like Gil and tell the guys he had sex with Catherine," Greg uttered and everyone went silent.

Gil had no idea what to say, he remembered the club and seeing the girls on stage. However, after that everything had gone fuzzy. It all happened so fast, he had no idea what he was doing or what was happening. It all seemed to be like a fantasy.

Catherine shot an evil look at Gil, not believing a single word that was coming out of Greg's mouth. He was just trying to cover his own ass. Catherine didn't care if Gil told the guys, it was a typical male thing to do, and it wasn't like it was true anyways. Catherine remembered everything that happened in that small lap dance room, and to be honest she never wanted to forget because it was the most memorable lap dance she had ever given a customer.

"I-I don't recall that ever happening," Gil stuttered.

"Oh really, you don't do you, well why don't I refresh your memory by telling the story of what exactly happened in that lap dance room to the whole team." Catherine replied and winked at Gil, "There is nothing to be embarrassed about if the guys already know the details,"

Catherine had found the perfect way to get back at Greg.

* * *

T.B.C soon :o)


	16. Chapter 16

**As promised guys there is more... :o) I hope you all enjoy & I would love some ideas for an ending, I still have not decided on the perfect one yet :o) thanks**

**Ten Years Earlier**

Grissom stood at the bar, waiting patiently to be served his soda he ordered, he was too young to drink but not young enough to not be allowed into the club. He was trying to get the image of Catherine's gorgeous naked body up on the stage out of his mind, he could not think of her that way when she already has a boyfriend. A boyfriend that potently works or owns this very club he was in right now.

Catherine made her way to through the tables of hungry men keeping her eyes trained on Grissom hunched over at the pink bar waiting for his drink. She knew that everyman she brushed past turned to goop in the wooden chair. They all wished they could lay their hands on her, however she had to make the initial move, club rules. Catherine went up to Grissom, gently pressing her body against his back, her toes on their tips. She was so close that he could smell the perfume that was dotted on her wrists and neck.

Grissom could smell her presence behind him but he was afraid to turn around, not wanting to fault in front of her beautiful appearance. He could feel her arms wrapping around his neck and shaking up his head, running through his short, thick, brown hair. Catherine sure did know how to seduce a very unfortunate, love sick man.

"Hey handsome, did you like the show?" Catherine whispered into Grissom's ear from behind. Her lips were so close that they made his hairs stand on end.

At the sound of her voice Grissom could not resist the urge to turn around any longer. He was stunned at the sight he saw standing in front of him. Her golden blonde hair was up away from her beautiful face. She was dressed in a black see-through negligee and matching thong. She carried her small purse that was filled with dollar bills ranging from ones to twenties. Her makeup was flawless, defining her eyes and her pouty lips. Grissom was mesmerized by her beauty and the necklace planted around her neck. He wondered if it was Eddie who gave her the necklace or a friend.

"Yes I-I did enjoy the show, you both are very talented women," Gil replied cracking a smile.

"Good, would you uh, like me to continue it on in the back private rooms," Catherine suggested pressing her breasts against his chest making it irresistible.

All Grissom could do was nod his head in approval as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. Catherine grabbed his sweaty hand and led him towards the back rooms. Catherine quickly glanced back towards the rest of the group seeing Greg and Sara not to far behind.

Catherine gingerly walked down the few steps and through the narrow hallway that was lit with pink lights and a bouncer at the doorway to every door less room. This was to make sure that the men would not get to out of hand. She led him to the room at the end as Sara did the same but on the other side of the hall. Each of them smiling at one another and the boys looking as if they had received shell shock from world war two.

"Come sit baby," Catherine said placing him in the seat facing the miniature stage with a pole at the back of the room.

Gil did not even bother doing anything else besides what Catherine asks of him, afraid that something would happen in the process of what was going to happen in this confined room.

"Are you going to be a good boy for mommy?"

Catherine stepped up on to the stage letting her body swing around the pole. Gil had to be careful that her heels did not connect with his skull, he would be knocked unconscious if that were to happen. She moved like a goddess up on that stage, moving her body in ways that Grissom never believed were possible. He was mesmerized by her beauty as she snaked her body around the pole rubbing it up and down with her back as she spread her legs for everyone to see.

Grissom had never seen this on a person, just in the biology textbooks in school. He leaned in on the chair closer to see if he could catch a better glimpse. However, Grissom did not anticipate Catherine quickly closing her legs and swinging around the pole once again. Grissom was not as quick as he wanted to be and one of Catherine's stilettos connected with the side of Grissom's skull.

Catherine did not even realize what had happened until she was back on the stage kneeling after finishing her move. She saw Grissom laying slumped on the ground with a goose egg growing on the left side of his head. Catherine quickly scooted off the stage and down to her injured client. She cupped his head in her arms and watched as he moaned as if he was experiencing a bad dream.

"Gil, oh my God, Gil are you okay?" Catherine whispered as she stroked the side of his head, "I am so sorry, I cannot believe I just did that,"

"It's okay Cath, no broken bones just seeing stars," Gil replied with a smile.

"You sure do have one hell of a goose egg, forming on the side of your head. Maybe I should get a bouncer to get some ice to put on that, help with the swelling."

"No I-I think a kiss will just be as good," Gil stammered making Catherine blush beat red as she bent down and gave him a kiss on the head. "There, now I feel much better,"

Catherine helped Gil back into his chair as he searched around in his pocket for a twenty dollar bill he had kept incase of an emergency. When Catherine saw it she did not want his money, to be honest she did not even think she was worth that much, especially after what had just happened.

"Take it Cath, I know you need the money or you would not be working here. Plus I think this dance was one of a kind." Gil replied shoving it into her palm.

"Thanks Gil, you know you really are a great friend I mean you are always there when I need you, it's amazing," Catherine said and gave Gil a hug.

That was the wrong move at the wrong time for Eddie just walked into the room and saw his girlfriend being content and sincere with the guy instead of getting down and dirty like her job description implies. This caused the blood under Eddie's skin to boil with jealousy.

"What is going on in here Catherine?" Eddie asked walking into the room.

* * *


	17. Chapter 17

**Ten Years Later**

"Oh man a double whammy! Gil gets knocked out and Eddie walking in on the two of you steaming it up instead of getting down and dirty," Greg replied slapping his leg with his hands and holding back a laugh.

"Yeah, needless to say after the night was done Eddie did not take the affection to lightly," Catherine replied as everyone went silent, knowing what Catherine was implying. "But still, I do feel bad for smoking you with the heel, I mean it was a complete accident that may not of really seemed like it at the time but you know," Catherine stammered trying to lighten the now dark mood.

"You're forgiven Cath, actually you were forgiven after you gave me that kiss let alone a decade after the event," Gil said running his fingers down her thigh. Catherine just smiled in return as a blush creped across her cheeks.

"Well, now that we have heard about Gil and Catherine's attempt at a lap dance, I wonder what happened in Sara and Greg's. I mean someone needs to refresh our memories of those events," Nick said relaxing in his seat and smiling at himself.

"I'm sure Greg would just love to fill us all in, for him that night would have been like having Christmas in September, right Greg?" Warrick said looking around the room, "where did that little weasel go?"

Everyone looked around just as dazed and confused as Warrick was. They had been so tangled up in their own little worlds that no one had seen the little bugger make his exit. This was not something Catherine had wanted before getting her revenge; this was beginning to make her blood boil.

"Where did Sara go as well?" Gil state throwing Catherine off her anger and back to confusion.

"You don't think – she wouldn't – would she?" Nick questioned not seeing Greg having a chance in hell to get with Sara.

Suddenly a loud pitch scream came from the hallway leading to the bedrooms and bathroom. Everyone stood in unison as they watched Greg who was struggling to get to his feet with fear in his eyes. He tried to seek out help but no one moved – especially after they saw Sara tackling him down to the ground and sucking the life out of him as he lay helpless on the ground.

"I'm going to kill you, you little perverted freak!" Sara screamed as Greg fought for breath.

After the group realized that Sara was not going to let go anytime soon they had to intervene. Nick and Warrick ran to Sara, trying to pull her off of Greg, even though they were enjoying to the torture. They brought her over to the chair she was sitting in before, hoping she would not take off and pounce on him again like a wild cat.

"Sit, stay, good girl," Nick said petting her head.

"I'm not an animal asshole," Sara spat as Catherine stifled a laugh.

"Really, because you just went all Cujo on Greg's ass," Warrick replied as he helped his friend up to the sitting position while he was coughing, trying to catch his breath.

"What happened to start this all anyways," Gil questioned walking into the room with a glass of cold water. He handed it over to Greg as he slipped it in his trembling fingers.

Sara wasted no time in explaining how she gone to the washroom when Greg had decided to see if he could play a prank on her, scaring her while she was getting out. Instead he opened the door just when she was about to pull up her pants. Knowing the mind that Greg possesses she flipped believing he was trying to take a peak at her. That was when she screamed, Greg attempted to run away however, Sara prevailed after all.

"Wow, like all I can say is wow," Catherine replied as everyone else remained silent.

"Greg, what on earth were you thinking, I mean Sara, she is wild, like I don't even think she was tamed fully in the wild. But, besides that the bathroom is a females sanctuary, you do not intrude on the sanctuary or all hell will break loose," Nick explained shaking his head, "I did feel sorry for you until I realized what you did, that is a low blow my friend, a very low blow."

Sara was on the verge of smacking Nick with the pillow for his comments about her until she realized that he was defending her instead of insulting her even more.

"Well now that we know where those two had vanished off too, why we don't continue the story of Grissom being smacked in the face by one of Catherine's heels." Warrick replied, attempting to get everyone back on track and avoid another incident.

"Oh yeah, I totally forgot about that, man what a night that was, I mean like when everyone had found out that we were working at The Pink Flamingos and then an embarrassing show on stage. Since you guys were at the back you probably missing what happened," Sara replied as her and Catherine's faces both went red with embarrassment.

"What do you mean we missed it? Was it something naughty?" Nick asked with a snicker.

Both of the girls looked at one another as they erupted into a fit of giggles at the memories they shared up on that stage together trying to fight off those sex crazed boys that would pay all of their life savings to get five minuets song in the back rooms with one or both of them. At that club the girls were the cats meow from the minuet they walked in their and asked for a job to the day each of the quit. Those were the good old days.

"Well are you going to tell us needy boys or not," Warrick taunted with a smile on his lips and a small twinkle in his eyes.

"I don't think so, I mean you would have remembered it if you had caught it," Catherine replied.

"You know sometimes you girls take the fun out of everything," Greg pouted.

"However, most of the time we are the fun part of every night,"

* * *


	18. Chapter 18

**Ten Years Earlier**

Eddie had just finished having their bouncers throw out the remainder of the scum from the club. The girls were done on stage, last call for alcohol was over and the ugly lights were back on. The girls were in the back dressing rooms changing out of their grunge and back into clothes that made them feel human once again.

Sara and Catherine were removing their masks, showing the true beauty they possessed in the mirrors that no one who stepped foot in this club would even consider. That was mostly true until the guys from school walked in and knew who the real Sara and Catherine were. They knew that they were not shallow, not sluts, not whores or prostitutes. However, the men who sit their ugly, stinky ass down in the chairs are like an audience to a play. They are gullible to anything and a beautiful woman would say about themselves.

"Howe much did you make tonight kitcat?" Sara asked brushing her hair hoping the remove the scum.

"About four hundred in tips, you?" Catherine replied.

"Well since Greg gave me one hundred tips, so five overall,"

"Wow, where did he get that kind of cash, and you know he really does love you and wants to be with you more than as a fuck buddy,"

"Yeah I know, and so does Gil to you, I mean the only reason the guys got him to go out was to forget about you, and he was miserable until he saw you glowing on stage. He loves you Cath, more than Eddie ever will,"

Catherine smiled at the warming memories, how little she has of her and Gil. She still remembers his heroic attempt to save her on the football field. She could picture the dopey look in his eyes and the sweet smile on his face every time he was around her. Then the images of Eddie had fluttered into her brain. How he could be so charming and handsome when he wants to be and how he gives her numerous gifts and treats her like royalty. Her brain was racked with mixed emotions for the two of them, not sure of what she wants or more likely who she wants.

"I know Sara, I mean guys give me headaches on a normal day basis, the mix of Eddie and Gil has brought about a migraine." Catherine replied with a smile on her lips which mirrored to Sara's.

"Do you need a lift home Sara?" Catherine asked as they busted open the back door and stepped out into the cold Vegas evening. Eddie was sitting in his blue Camaro headlights on and waiting for his girl.

Sara knew that 'lift home' meant with Eddie. Sara had ever liked Eddie from the day that he had hired Catherine and her three months ago. She and Catherine would have numerous arguments over her and Eddie's relationship and the bad path that was not going to get any better. Catherine always believed that Sara was jealous and wanted Eddie to herself. Sara would not be caught dead with a ten foot pole being with that man in more than a boss figure and outside of work.

"No thanks, I think I will walk, I'm sure Eddie will want some alone time with his star," Sara replied with a wink as Catherine nudged her slightly on the shoulder.

"I'll see you tomorrow at school," Catherine replied and headed towards her chariot in waiting.

Sara was left in the dim light of the light bulb over the back door to the strip club. The alley was a fearful place in the wee hours of the morning and was not the best place for a woman to be alone in. Sara was walking down the alley; her high heels clicking on the cement, shivering a bit form the cold that was passing through her clothes. Every sound that came from the narrow, dark alley would make Sara almost jump out of her skin.

She could see the flashing lights of the strip illuminating the lights of the casino that house both high rollers and criminals. Sara was just about to make it out into the open, into the lights of the strip where she knew she was safe when a cold, clammy hand clamped over her mouth. Her eyes grew large with fear and began to well with tears. She could taste the dirt embedded in the man's hands and smell the sweat from his dirty clothes. Sara was defenseless against him as he pulled her over to the concrete law away from the vibrant lights and human contact.

The bricks were bone chilling cold as they were compressed against her back. The alley was dark she could not see her assailant's face but she knew he would not alleviate his eyes from hers and her body. He was like a rat or a bat with echolocation honing in on her fear and exploring it for all he's got.

Sara tried to keep her eyes shut not wanted to witness what this man as gong to do or not do to her. It was evident that he did not want to rob her or did not want to kill her. He wanted to divulge in his fantasy of pinning a girl against a wall and laying one on her like he means it; in a hurtful not loveable sense. She could feel his hands wandering her body feeling her breasts and working his way down her body. Sara could not help the tears shedding down her cheeks. She was like a whimpering dog, hoping that if he was going to do something he would get it done and over with. Right now she would rather be in the vehicle with Catherine and Eddie than in an alley all by herself.

Sara had lost count of the minute that have passed since she had pinned against the wall, her back scratching against the brick, the suppressed screams she had bottled up inside her or the feeling of being demanded washing over her body. Now she sat on the ground slumped on the ground weeping within her own self hatred for letting something so stupid and damaging happen to herself. She wanted to burn the clothes that she was wearing, take a four hour long hot shower so she could sit their and weep where no one could hear or see her. What had happened to her was more incentive to go away from this hell hole and get her dream job and catch these bastards, putting them behind bars.

Sara had no idea what time it was when she finally made it back up to her two feet and then to her house. She had swollen ankles from her heels and was freezing from the weather. Sara made her way up to her bedroom, tearing off the clothes that she was wearing and putting on her pajamas, curling up with her teddy bear under the covers. She tried to sleep bit it was useless, she wanted to call Catherine and have a girl's night, she wanted to confess this to someone but she knew she couldn't. It must have been hours but it felt like minutes before Sara had finally been able to drift off to sleep.

Catherine hoped into the nicely heated seats of the car seeing the look that was on Eddie's face that almost made Catherine's heart stop. She knew that he was jealous from the encounter that he had witnessed between Catherine and Gil. She had still felt bad and a bit embarrassed but the incident with the high heel. Her cheeks actually began to flush with the memory.

Eddie sped out of the parking lot and sped down the road heading towards his house. It was ritual for Catherine to do an off the books show for her boyfriend after the night was done. Sometimes she would stay their, but Sunday night was that was prohibited because of school, and tonight was a Sunday night.

"Eddie where you going? It's Sunday night, I have school in the morning, I need o go home and get some shut eye" Catherine said as the car sped up as it passed the turnoff to Catherine's street.

"I know," Eddie replied speeding to avoid the red light ahead.

"But you just passed my street,"

"I know," he repeated, getting more adjetated and angry. Her words were so shard that they would be able to through glass. "I'm disappointed in you Catherine,"

Catherine could feel the tears welling in the bottom of her eyes. When someone spoke the word disappointed she knew they were angrier than sin. She tried to avoid eye contact when Eddie, knowing that when she would look into them it would be flames. Catherine tried to stay concentrated on the window, the houses and businesses they passed. Her voice trembled along with her lips with every word that she spoke. Catherine had transformed from an adult to child in mere moments.

"W-why is that?"

"I saw what happened in the lap dance room Cath, I'm not blind, and I mean did you think you could get away with that, I'm the owner of the fucking club for God s sake!"

Eddie's voice boomed and echoed through the vehicle like thunder form hell. Catherine jumped in her seat, startled and worried that this was going to escalate from talking to physical contact. She hated when Eddie screamed and yelled and she hated it even worse when he would become physical about it.

"I-I don't know what you are talking about Eddie?" Catherine replied keeping her eyes adverted afraid of turning into stone.

"You love him! I could see it in your eyes when you two were down on the floor! You fucking love him you slut!" Eddie screamed and took a hard right as Catherine's frail body slammed into the side of the car and her head bounced off the glass.

"I want out, I want to go home Eddie, please just take me home," Catherine whimpered.

"You're not going home until you tell me who that guy is and prove to me that you love me and not him,"

"H-How am I suppose to do that?"

Eddie turned to her, a sick smile on his face and anger glowing in his eyes. Catherine knew exactly what Eddie was talking about, it was the only thing the man was able to think about, sex.

"Eddie no, please, you know I love you, why would I have to prove it to you, I mean you do trust me don't you?" Catherine replied still whimpering.

Eddie took another sharp corner this time veering to the left as Catherine's body flew into Eddie's lap, her head smacking into the clutch in the center counsel. Catherine's head was pounding as if someone was beating a drum right in her ears. He clamped one of his hands around her neck, pinning her down as he turned into a dark secluded parking lot. Catherine tried to escape his grip but she was afraid that he would on squeeze harder.

Eddie turned off the vehicle and flipped on the over head light, illuminating the bruising and blood drops that had filled Catherine's complexion. He still kept his hand on Catherine's neck and with his other hand he undid the buckle to his belt and opened the zipper. Catherine knew exactly what was going to happen.

"Now, I at first had something a little more formal for us to do to prove you love but I also need to prove just how much of a slut you really are." Eddie replied, pulling his hands down until they pooled around his ankles on the floor.

Eddie yanked on Catherine's blonde hair trying to have her look at him, to see what kind of power he possessed over her and the things that he was actually capable of, it was monstrous and evil beyond what anyone would ever imagine a human being would be capable of.

Eddie stroked her face, smearing the blood on her face on the back of his hands and on to her lips. Catherine could taste herself making her want to throw up. She was scared that he was going to hit her once again, or could even kill her.

"Now I have one thing that must be done, I know you will not flinch at what I have in mind, your customers ask for it all the time," Eddie replied.

"What to do considered human?" Catherine retorted with a smile that was quickly erased with a slap across the cheek sending blood and tears across the dash, "What has happened to you Eddie, it is like you a Jekyll and Hyde."

"No, I am just a very possessive person and like to keep what I have to myself and not share with anyone."

"You must have missed that lesson in kindergarten. Plus if you are that possessive about me and my abilities than enlighten me on why I am a dancer getting naked in front of other men, letting them fantasize about me. How do you know I never did any off the book jobs for them."

Eddie grabbed her around the neck and had her face to face, his breath on her skin and his heated glare burning a hole in her face. He knew that Catherine was trying to be a smartass about this, and she was not having very much luck. Eddie was able to see right through that. He knew that she did her job and that was it. There was no way that was possible.

"You're lying to me Cath, I know every move you make in and out of that bar, I own you,"

"What do you mean? I mean, you are the one who has actually used me as a fuck puppet. I mean how could I of been so dense. I know I am smarter than this. What the hell ever enticed me to do this?" Catherine said ripping the necklace off form around her neck and tossing it at Eddies face.

This is exactly what pushed Eddie over the edge. Eddie pounced on Catherine as if he were a wild animal. He pinned her down on the bench seat, pressing hard on her wrists as he forced himself on her. He wasted no time in thrusting, pushing himself hard and deep inside Catherine as she screamed out in pain, begging Eddie to stop. All the yelps did was make Eddie do it even harder.

"Say you love me, say you want me and no one else. Say it bitch or I'll make you scream even louder" Eddie panted as he continued to have his way with her.

"I-I love you, I only love you Eddie," Catherine breathed in-between yelps of pain.

"That's my girl, that's a good girl," Eddie said stroking the sides of Catherine's face with his sweaty hands. She found it soothing until he slapped her hard, "And don't you ever forget it you little whore. If I ever see him in my club ever again I will make sure he would never be able to jerk off ever again you hear?" Catherine just nodded her head in agreement as Eddie got up and zipped up his pants and started the car engine once again.

Slowly Catherine sat up, wishing that Sara had come with them, and then none of this could have happened. The rest of the car ride to her home was in silence, Catherine was afraid to say something that would make Eddie turn into the Incredible Hulk once again.


	19. Chapter 19

**Ten Years Later**

* * *

Sara and Catherine remained silent, swishing their drinks in their glasses, not making eye contact with any of the guys in the room. Catherine had been told numerous times by everyone in the room that Eddie was an abusive son of a bitch and the story that she had just told solidified the bad temperament behaviour he showed to Catherine at every chance he got. The men did not know what to say, they were afraid to speak, wondering if the words were going to hurt instead of heal. The stories that Sara and Catherine had just described to the group were ones that neither of them had wanted to express ever again, they pulled at their heart strings and everyone in the room could feel the dark cloud hoovering over their co-workers.

"I think I am going to step outside for a moment," Sara whispered catching everyone by surprise, she looked at Catherine staring into the blue abyss of her eyes, "Do you want to join me?" she asked as she placed her glass of wine of the side table.

"Sure, a breath of fresh air sounds like a lovely idea," Catherine replied as she sucked back the remainder of her wine and followed Sara to the door.

Gil had wanted to get up and follow, make sure that they were alright, but he could see it in their eyes that they needed a moment to recooperate from the horrible stories that were just told in this small room. He watched as they walked down the hallway, closing the door softly behind them as all the guys breathed a heavy sigh of relief as if an enormous weight had been lifted off of their shoulders.

"I knew that Eddie was a sleaze ball, but I never knew he was capable of doing something like that to another human being, I can't believe Catherine put up with that for almost a decade, I'm surprised she didn't kill that guy at some point," Nick stated, breaking the ice.

"She stayed in that relationship because of Lindsey, she knew that if she tried to leave, which she eventually did do, he would come after them and do more damage." Gil replied picturing the scared and lonely Catherine fighting for her life against the strong and over powering Eddie, it was to painful to imagine.

"What I don't understand is that she had us, I mean we were the top dogs on the high school football team, we could have tackled Eddie to the ground and made him eat dirt full of dog shit if we knew what he was capable of doing towards Catherine." Warrick replied, polishing off his fourth beer of the evening.

"I agree, but we did try to confront Eddie one time, at the club remember, and that turned into one hell of a memorable night, in all the wrong ways," Greg stated with a smirk.

"You laugh, you weren't the one that was decked in the face landing in the very naked lap of a dancer knocked out cold," Gil replied and the guys erupted into laughter. That was exactly what needed to happen to lighten the mood before the girls returned.

"Yeah that was classic, rescue the damsel in distress and end up getting knocked out cold by the black night, how romantic," Greg teased as Gil threw a pillow in the young mans direction hitting him square in the nose.

"I hope that alcohol your drinking does not make you forget that I am your boss, and I do have the ability to fire your ass at anytime,"

"Oh it would be so worth it though if I could see a rematch right now,"

"If the bastard was still alive I could take him down no problem," Gil said becoming all macho as the rest of the guys burst into laughter once again.

"If who was still alive?" Catherine questioned, as the girls returned from their breather and the men abruptly stopped laughing.

"Eddie, we were reminiscing about the boxing match between Gil and Eddie over ten years ago, I'm sure you remember," Nick stated.

"No, actually I don't, Sara do you know what they are talking about?" Catherine asked as Sara smiled broadily at the fond memories of the square off between lovers.

"Yeah I do, I don't think you were working that night, oh my it was hilarious, Nick you want to tell the story?" Sara replied as she sat back down sipping her drink.

"Oh it would be my pleasure, Catherine you will defiantly get a kick out of this," Nick took a sig of beer and began to the tell the lest heroic tale anyone had ever heard.


	20. Chapter 20

* Added more to the Chapter *

**Ten Years Earlier  
**

* * *

Catherine awoke the following morning to the annoying buzzing sound of her alarm clock going off on her bedside table. She opened her eyes and it was seven in the morning on a Monday morning. Time to begin another week of school. Catherine rubbed her tired eyes as she sat up wincing in pain as she could see the black and blue forming around her wrists where Eddie had pinned her against his seat. Catherine ended up crying herself to sleep , only gaining around three to four hours of sleep. She dragged her body across her bedroom and down the hall to the bathroom, turning on the cold water tap in the shower and taking a nice cold shower to wake her up. An hour later she had dried her hair, dressed herself and put on her daily routine of makeup before heading down stairs for a quick bite to eat with her mom before she went to go catch the bus.

"You came home quite late last night Catherine," her mother stated as she sipped her morning tea.

"Yeah, study group ran later than expected," Catherine lied as she dropped two pieces of bread into the toaster and poured herself a glass of orange juice.

"I won't be home for supper tonight, I have to meet with a client so i put some lasagna in the fridge that you can heat up for supper," her mother never questioning her daughter about the validity of this study group that was to have gone on last night over at Sara's place.

"Okay, I have a lot of homework to do tonight, so I probably will be staying in,"

The toast popped as Catherine grabbed it with the tips her fingers hoping not to burn herself as spread strawberry jam over the pieces before she sat down at the table with her mother. The mother and daughter were silent throughout the rest of their breakfast together, each other not questioning what the other was really up to on the weekend or tonight. Catherine had come to realize that every time she says she has to meet a client it generally means Sam Braun. Catherine's heart skips a beat when her mother says that, afraid that Sam is telling her mother about her little girl taking off her clothes for money at one of the clubs he frequents. So far nothing has been told or her mother would have grounded her for rest of her life already.

Catherine waited outside of her house for the yellow unattractive school bus to stop and pick her up. The sun was already blistering out and being in a black long sleeve shirt was probably not the smartest attire Catherine could have wore today, but she knew black would hide those nasty bruises for sure. The bus pulled up as the swing door opened and Catherine made her way to the back of the bus where Sara was sitting looking as if she had just got hit by a train. Dressed all in black as well with large sunglasses on and her hair down around her face she looked like she had just died.

"Whats wrong with you today Mortica?" Catherine joked seeing that her friends non responsive smile as a que to leave her alone.

"Rough night, I'll tell you about it later, seems like we both went for the black today," Sara whispered as she stared out the window looking at absolutely nothing.

"Yeah well nothing could be worse than what happened to me, I think I'm going to break it off with Eddie," Catherine replied as she lifted up the sleeves of her shirt to show her best friend the crude marks that were left on her body.

"What the hell did he do to you?" Sara replied as she lifted her sunglasses from her eyes that were black and blue.

"What the hell happened to you?" Catherine retorted looking at her friends maimed face.

"I got attacked leaving the club last night, I wanted to call you last night, but I couldn't tell anyone, I need to go get checked, can you come with me?"

"Oh my god, we should have gave you a ride home last night Sara, then nothing would have happened, to either of us," Catherine said as she placed an arm around her friend, "Of course I will go with you to the clinic, we will go after school today okay?" Catherine soothed as the bus pulled into the front of the high school.

"Thanks Catherine, you really are a great friend, please, don't tell the guys, especially Greg, I don't want him to pretend to be a hero and get hurt,"

"No problemo, this is between you and me,"

The girls headed into the school. walking briskly to avoid everyone in the halls and the questions that would come as soon as Sara took off her sunglasses, they went directly to Catherine's locker were she housed extra cover up that they could put on Sara's face to hide those nasty bruises around her eyes. As Catherine was closing her locker she could see Nick and Warrick making their way down the hall towards them. Quickly they turned and headed for the girls bathroom that was down the hall, ignoring the guys shouting their names from the other end of the hall. Quickly they sneaked into the bathroom before the guys could catch up to them.

"That was close," Sara breathed as she removed the sunglasses and adjusted her eyes to the florescent lights indoors. She winced in a bit of pain as Catherine smoothed the cover up over the black and blue markings across her face.

"Yeah, I'll make sure it isn't noticable for the rest of the day so we don't have to hide out in the bathroom all day long," Catherine replied with a smile.

Ten minutes later Sara looked like a super model, the bruises completely covered and looking natural at the same time. They walked out of the bathroom to be greeted by Nick and Warrick standing their, awaiting their return from mysterious girls bathroom. Sara and Catherine just smiled at them, as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

"What the hell took you girls so long, it's been like ten minutes and didn't you hear us calling your names?" Warrick stated.

"Well it is that time of the month, and when you gotta go, u gotta go," Sara whispered as the guys moaned in disgust. "What is so urgent that you had to meet up with us right away?"

"We wanted to apologize for last night, I had no clue that um, well, that Eddie would get like that, and well we just wanted to," Nick stammered not sure how to exactly apologize to their two best friends that they now know take off their clothes for money.

"Nick it's okay, as long as you don't go blab to the entire school what Sara and I do on the weekends," Catherine whispered in Nick's ear as his face turned a shade of red.

"Our lips are sealed, and so will Greggo's and Gil's, you have scouts honor" Warrick stated since Nick was too dazed to speak.

The bell rang for classes to begin and the group separated to their first classes of the day. The rest of the day was normal, class after class, then lunch where the group met up once again for some lunch in the courtyard outside, this time joined by Greg and Gil as they talked about upcoming assignments and not one of them mentioned what had happened the night before. As the final bell range at 3 o'clock Catherine was back at her locker gathering the books she was going to need for a fun filled night of homework and studying. She was exhausted, but she knew she had to do these assignments if she wanted to keep her A average for when she graduates in a month.

"Hey Cath," Gil said as he approached her friends locker with books in his hand and a smile on his face. The gooseegg that had formed on his head last night had swelled down.

"Hey Gil, have lots of homework like me tonight to huh?" Catherine replied. as she reached up top to grad her pencil case, the sleeve of her shit slid down her arm and he nasty black and blue brusies around her wrist were in plain view of Gil's wandering eyes.

"Uh, yeah, yeah I do, did you want to get together and study or something," Gil stuttered focusing his eyes on Catherine's instead of her mangled wrist.

"Yeah sure, if you don't mind coming over to my place later on, my mom won't be home till late, if that's okay?"

"That's fine, I'll see you later then"

"Bye," Catherine smiled and slammed her locker shut, locking it and running to catch the bus to take her home.

"Hey Gil! How's it hanging?" Greg stated as he came up to his new friend, throwing an arm around his shoulder and smiled.

"Uh, I think something is wrong with Catherine?" Gil replied as he watched her prance down the hallway towards the double doors to meet Sara who was standing there.

"What do you mean, she seems great, even though you guys had an eventful night last night,"

"I saw her wrist, it was badly bruised and looked fresh, I think Eddie did that to her after we left the club last night, he was quite upset that Catherine was nursing me back to my feet last night instead of dancing," Gil explained as Greg's quirky expression changed at the sound of someone abusing one of his friends. "I think Eddie abuses Catherine,"

"Well to be honest Gil, I wouldn't put it past the sleaze ball, let me talk with Nick and Warrick and we can see what we can do to teach this Eddie guy a lesson."

"Whatever you guys decide, I want to throw either the first or the finishing blow,"

Greg smiled patting his new friend on the shoulder as they walked down the hall towards the front door. "Trust me Gil, you will be their to show him whose boss,"

Later that night Gil was deep into his latest science project, racing cockroaches when his mother called from downstairs to say that few of his friends were at the front door. Puzzled, Gil headed downstairs to be greeted by Greg, Warrick and Nick standing in the front foyer with smiles on their faces and dressed to impress.

"Hey guys, what are you all doing here?" Gil questioned as his mother appeared in the hallway, curious to meet Gil's new friends.

"Aren't you going to introduce me?" Gil's mother signed to her son who smiled sheepishly,

"Sure mom, this is Warrick, Nick and Greg, friends from school, we're going to go upstairs they have a few questions about our science homework and I told them I would help them out," Gil replied back signing and saying the same thing as the guys stared in silence and awe; Gil never mentioned that his mother was deaf.

"Alright, have fun, nice to meet you boys," she replied and disappeared into the den to resume her reading.

The guys followed Gil up the wooden staircase to his room that was the last one on the left. When they walked into their friends bedroom it was like walking into a science lab. There were multiple microscopes, bugs, slides and petrey dishes everywhere. Books lined a bookshelf from the ceiling to the floor with everything from textbooks to the classics and William Shakespeare. There no posters of the current music craze or the newest trends circulating school, but instead there were astronomical charts of constellations, sun bursts and the periodic table, it was obvious that Gil was well interest in space and science.

"Wow, Gil this is impressive," Greg replied as he sat down on the queen sized bed situated in the middle of the room. "It's like walking into a set of Bill Nye the Science Guy"

"Thanks...I guess," Gil replied as he put his cockroaches back in their tank, he will have to try racing them another day.

"I didn't know that your mom was deaf, it's so amazing how you both can communicate with one another so fluently, I've never been around a deaf person," Nick replied as he took a peak through one of the four microscopes set up on the far table.

"It's not really that different, a lot of people talk with their hands anyways, just we can make coherent sentences."

"Still it's quite amazing,"

"What exactly brings the three of you over here anyways, you all look like your ready to hit the strip looking for some ladies," Gil stated trying to change the subject.

"Well, Greggo filled us in on what you told him at school today and we wanted to go give a little pay back, are you interested," Warrick replied with a smile, his eyes never leaving the maggot farm Gil had incubating under a heat lamp.

"Already? I mean, isn't this a little too soon, it's going to be obvious that someone squeaked to us about what happened, I don't want to see Catherine get hurt anymore,"

"That is exactly why tonight is the best night to do this, Catherine and Sara don't work to the weekend, she won't know what happened and she won't get hurt either," Greg rationed, Gil could see the excitement rising in the young mans voice, he wanted to beat the snot out of Eddie much more than Gil did.

"I don't know guys, I mean I was going to do an experiment tonight for school next week and well," Gil stuttered, it was only obvious that he was making excuses for not going.

"Come on Gil, you said you wanted to be involved, and this is your opportunity to be the knight in shinning armor, plus you'll have us three to back you up," Nick replied edging his new friend on. He scanned the titles of the books on the massive bookshelf seeing many classics that deal with chivalry, "it gives you a chance to live out one of these books you seem to enjoy so much" Nick edged with a smirk on his face.

Gil thought for a moment, he remembers how in those stories the knight always got the girl, Gil also knew that those where just fairy tales and stories, none of it was real life, but this was a chance to change that once and for all. He had never been more in love with someone than he was with Catherine, she was his missing part, they were polar opposites of one another, but they completed one another. He did not want to see Eddie hurt her ever again, and it stop it he needed to prove that he was the alpha dog and wisk Catherine right off her feet, once again.

"Let me get changed, I'll meet you downstairs in ten," Gil stated as the guys high-five in excitement, it was time to teach Eddie a lesson.

The guys pulled into the Pink Flamingo's parking lot, it was packed for Monday nights was a 2-for-1 special on lap dances. The bouncers did not even bother IDing the guys, knowing that they were young and ready to plop down loads of cash on this dump of a place. The four of them walked in, standing straight and looking like they owned the place keeping their eyes peeled for Eddie. They knew that Eddie was going to be there, he was their every night snorting lines of a coke with the strippers on break in the back of the club, away from the well playing patrons at the front. The music was loud, the women were beautiful, but nothing was going to break the guys concentration for their main objective of the night. Warrick and Nick approached the bar, knowing the guy who was working that night as a recent graduate of Horseshoe Valley High and a previous member of the football team.

"Nicky! Rick! What brings you guys into hell?" the bartender shouted over the pounding music as he poured a couple of drinks for some very young and rich patrons.

"Looking for the devil himself, you seen him tonight?" Nick replied back with a smile.

"He's out back with a couple of honeys, he should be back in, in a few, hope you guys aren't looking for trouble,"

"Nothing that he shouldn't be able to handle," Warrick replied as they headed over to the table that Gil and Greg had snagged from a few guys that were wisked away to the backrooms for a lap dance or two.

"He's out back, should be in, in a few, how you guys wanna play this?" Nick asked as he took a seat scoping out the place for bouncers, they don't want the fight to break up after their first punch.

"Why don't we just go back there, privacy and no bouncers," Gil replied, his adrenaline pumping through his veins, he wanted to put his knuckles into Eddie's cheek now.

"I like your thinking Gil, well let's go, the best way to not look suspicious is to follow a group of rippers, then it looks like we're getting lap dances," Greg offered.

"Good plan, here comes a group now, let's go," Warrick stated as all four guys got up and followed the strippers to the back looking to the rest of the club, including the bouncers that nothing out of the ordinary was going to take place.

As the guys got to the back of the club they could hear Eddie's voice coming from a room to the right. As the girls veered left to the private dance area, the guys veered to the right throwing the door open and making the topless dancers shriek in surprise. Eddie stood up, three lines of coke set out on the glass table ready to be snorted by the small party in this cramped room.

"What the fuck are you four doing! Get the hell out! private party!" Eddie boomed as the girls coward in fear, then he recognized one of them, "You're that guy that was here last night and got a dance from Catherine! I told her if you showed your face in here again you'd be a dead man, I guess she never gave you the message," he stated as he walked around the small table confronting the group of them.

"That's because we have unfinished business," Gil replied as he clenched his fist and through a hard left hook hitting Eddie square in the jar making him stumble backwards onto the couch between the two girls who screamed again.

"Nice punch Gil!" Nick congratulated as Gil smiled, still not believing he actually did that.

"If you touch Catherine ever again, I'll make sure your balls are cut off and grilled on a BBQ,"the guys erupted into laughter

"Thats it! you're going down!" Eddie retorted as he lunged at Gil, knocking him to the ground. Before Gil could even defend himself Eddie began to pummel punches on hos face left and right. Nick and Warrick quickly jumped in, pulling Eddie off of Gil and shoving him into the far wall with a smash. Greg helped his friend up who was bleeding from his nose, mouth and forehead.

Gil staggered to his feet, never feeling the full force of a punch before as Greg held his arm for a support. The room was spinning but he had wanted to finish this once and for all. He broke free of Greg's hold and ran at Eddie who was dazed against the wall. Gil punched him again in the face, and then again, his knuckles bleeding as his skin began to crack and the guys tried to pull him off, seeing that Eddie looked as if he was going to pass out. When the guys finally held Gil down they could tell that he had done some serious damage, Gil's heart was thumping, his blood flowing and his eyes red with rage, not aring about the pain in his face and knuckles.

"Okay Gil, I think you proved your point, he's done, he's finished." Nick said trying to calm down his friend as blood was dripping from his cut open lip.

Eddie, dazed and the room spinning could see the guys were restraining Gil from attacking him again, Eddie stumbled and staggered back to his feet. He moved his hand to the waistband of his jeans were he stored a revolver for protection. The two women who were trapped in that room with these animalistic men caught a glimpse of the gun and screamed. Greg looked and saw Eddie trying to pull the gun out from his waist band to finish Gil off for good.

"Gun!" Greg screamed as Gil and Warrick hit the deck and Nick and Greg tackled Eddie to the floor as the gun barrel went up to the ceiling and a round was discharged. The women shrieked once again, but their screams and the gun shot could not be heard over the blaring music from the club and private dance areas. Nick wrestled the gun from Eddies hand flinging it across the room out of reach of both parties. Eddie punched Greg and Nick both in the face, pushing them off of him as he crawled against the floor to get away from the mob of men. Gil got back to his feet, taking this opportunity to kick Eddie right in the ribs, knocking him flat on his face on the floor as Warrick went and grabbed Gil once again, knowing that Gil would not finish until this guy was either dead or unconscious.

"It's not worth it Gil, he's scum, he won't hurt her anymore," Warrick said as Greg and Nick got back to their feet ad joined Warrick and Gil on the far side of the room as Eddie was trying to catch his breath as he laid on the floor bleeding from his wounds.

"What the hell happened in here!" a bouncer yelled as he could see his boss on the ground in pain and a group fo guys off to the other side and two scared dancers huddled on the couch not sure what was going to happen next. The bouncer grabbed Gil by the arm, seeing that he was the most beat up and figured he was instigator. Gil faught back as Nick Warrick and Greg tried to tell him to stop.

"George I want these four assholes out of here, for good! They show their faces here ever again and I'll kill em!" Eddie threatened from the fetal position on the floor.

Gil threw a punch at the bouncer but missed. The bouncer on the other hand returned fire with a punishing blow knocking Gil unconscious and right into the lap of one of the dancers on the couch, the woman screamed in terror. The bouncer threw Gil over his muscular shoulder as the other three followed them out of the club's rear entrance. The last thing they needed was to throw an unconscious guy out the front and kill business for the rest of the night. The bouncer threw Gil's limp body onto the pavement as Nick, Warrick and Greg came rushing out wondering it more damage was done to their heroic friend.

"If I see any of you, your dead!" the bouncer stated and slammed the door shut.

"I think we better get him over to the hospital, he might have some internal bleeding or something," Nick stated as he massaged his throbbing jaw.

"I'll drive," Warrick stated as Nick and Greg helped Gil to his feet, carrying him back to the car and high tailing it down to Desert Palm Hospital a few miles away.

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T.B.C.


	21. Chapter 21

**Ten Years Later**

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Catherine and Sara erupted into a fit of giggles, forgetting all about the horrific stories they told earlier that evening and lightening the mood in the living room. The guys, including Gil also began to laugh at the childish games they used to play when they were back in high school. Gil was just thankful that his friends were there when he needed them the most and brought him directly to the hospital to be cured the injuries that were inflected to his face from Eddie's punishing blows. He had bruises on his face for at least a week following the bar fight that broke out. He was in the hospital for two days recovering from some injuries his mother was furious with him and Catherine had come to visit him at the hospital at least once, no one had told her the true story of what happened until now.

"Why on earth would you ever had picked a fight with Eddie? If I knew what you were going to do I would have stopped you," Catherine replied wiping her tears of laughter from her eyes. What she was told by the guys was very different than the story she was just told right now.

"Gil had seen the bruises on your arm, he wanted to confront Eddie man to man, and well you know the rest now," Nick replied as he finished his beer.

"You knew that Eddie had done to Cath? You were trying to act heroic and ended up falling flat on your face," Sara stated.

"Actually into the lap of a very hot topless dancer," Greg correct his colleague and everyone erupted into a fit of giggles one more time.

Catherine got up and walked over to Gil who was sitting across from her turning red from embarrassment and laughter. She staggered, holding her glass of wine with a smile on her face. She put the glass down on the table beside Gil and sat down on his lap, wrapping her arm around his shoulder and put her lips close to his ear, gently breathing the smell of wine and beer on her breath. Catherine gave him a peck on the cheek as everyone gave a round of 'oohs' and 'awes' from the rest of the group. Gil didn't know what to do, he just sat stiff as a corpse, looking directly in front to the empty chair directly across from him where Catherine was sitting just a moment before. He wished this was going to take place before the rest of the gang was to arrive for drinks and a trip down memory lane, but he would take anything he could get.

"So you were trying to be my knight in shinning armor huh?" Catherine whispered as she kissed him again, "I do appreciate the effort, and it worked, Eddie never touched me again after that, until a few years later when we had parted, all of us had already parted from one another." she stated as she got up and walked into the kitchen to refill her half empty glass.

"Someone's getting lucky tonight," Greg stated as everyone laughed again and Gil just sipped on his beer, trying to get the images of Catherine out of his head.

"Well, now that we know the real story behind Gil being in the hospital, since we believe for the last decade that you were all mugged by a gang, what other memorable moments took place while we were in our last year of high school." Sara beamed, trying to change the subject away from the obvious sexual tension lingering in this room.

"I still remember when you told us that you were leaving for San Fransisco for University, I remember that broke up you and Catherine's friendship for at east five years and the group was never the same again," Warrick stated.

"Yeah, those were a long five years, and trust me, trying to find the right moment to bring that news up was the hardest part of it all. We had planned to go to University together and to become criminalists together and work together. We did all of, but go to the same University, after our last year of high school we went our separate ways, Catherine go married, had Lindsey and went to night school to finish her degree and I studied my butt off for three years, worked one year in San Fransisco and then came here to be back to the place I should have never left in the first place."

"Don't worry Sara we all missed you, and as I recall so does the Pink Flamingo's, I here they are hiring someone part time," Greg snikers as Sara shot him the middle finger.

Catherine returned from the kitchen, plopped back down in her chair and sipped her freshly poured wine. "Don't mind him Sara, I hear he goes their every day before he comes in for the grave yard shift, they know you by name now don't they Greggo?" she stated as everyone laughed. Greg kept his mouth shut as his face went red.

"Why don't we continue our trip down memory lane, shall we?" Nick stated with a smile on his face.

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T.B.C


	22. Chapter 22

**Ten Year Earlier **

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Catherine briskly walked down the monochromatic hallway of Desert Palms Emergency Ward, the sound of her high-heeled boots clicked across the ceramics floor as she was frantically looking for either Gil or any of the gang that called her as soon as they brought him here from the strip club. It was Catherine and Sara's night off, but she had a gut feeling that Gil and the guys were there for them, and may have not know they were not working tonight. All that Nick had disclosed to her over the phone was the fact the Gil was beat up by a bouncer and thrown out, they gave no details into what exactly took place all they told her was the Gil was in the emergency room getting looked at.

Catherine saw Sara and Greg at the end of the hallway sitting in the waiting room, both in a loving embrace knowing that no one else was around. Sara looked up at the clicking of heels heading down the hallway and saw Catherine, she looked as if she had been crying, probably over the fact that Gil was in the emergency room. Sara quickly got to her feet and went to comfort her best friend as she sat down beside Greg in the small waiting room with white washed walls and back plastic chairs. The place was empty at the moment, with the florescent lights making it brighter than the dessert sun.

Nick and Warrick just walked into the waiting room, both holding a can of soda to their faces where they were sucker punched in the face by Eddie. They saw Catherine sitting their with Sara, both of them looking as if they had lost a family member. It was hard for the guys not to notice the bruising on Sara's face and the ones around Catherine's wrists, knowing exactly what Gil was talking about when he proposed this ridiculous idea that ended him up in the hospital.

"What happened? Why were you guys even there" Catherine whispered looking Nick and Warrick straight in the eye, as if it were their fault.

"We were stupid, went there looking for you girls, and ended up getting into a fight with the bouncer. Gil, he wanted to act like hero thinking that you would be there to see it, and now he's in the hospital room down the hall doped up on morphine." Greg replied looking at the guys, not wanting to spill the beans that Eddie tried to kill him with a gun.

"You guys are insane, I hope you learned your lesson, I'm just glad that none of you got killed, you know how Eddie was the last time that you guys showed up there, he does have a gun you know, none of you would have stood a chance." Sara replied as she saw the look in the guys eyes, they were hiding something from them.

"So does every other American who takes advantage of their Constitutional right," Warrick replied as he sat down and gave a large sigh, he just wanted this night to be over.

"Did anyone call his mother?" Catherine asked looking from one person to the next,

"His mother is deaf, someone is going to have to go over there and tell her, personally, I think she can read lips." Nick replied

"Look Greg and I will go over there, I know a bit of sign language I can probably help, why don't you two stay with Catherine and go see Gil, he might not know your there, but I'm sure he would appreciate the company," Sara stated as she got up, Greg following suit.

"Sure, sounds like a plan, I would love to go see him, and I know his mom would appricate to know what happened to her only son," Catherine stated smiling at her friend.

"We'll be back in a bit, probably with her, and don't worry he'll pull through."

Sara and Greg took off down the hallway towards the parking lot to their parked car and headed to Gil's house to let his mom know that her son was hooked up to a morphine drip in the Emergency room after a bar fight. Greg started the engine as Sara did up her seat belt, wondering if this was the time to ask Greg exactly what took place at the Pink Flamingo's. They backed out of the busy parking lot and headed down Tropicana blvd towards Gil's house.

"Greg, what exactly happened at the club," Sara stated, staring straight ahead at the shinning lights. "You can tell me, I promise I won't tell Catherine anything,"

"I'll bite, if you tell me what happened to your face, and if it was Eddie I swear I'll go back there and finish him off myself," Greg replied

"I wish, at least then I would have know who would have attacked me, instead it was some random junkie homeless bastard that grabbed me the alley as a I left work on Sunday night, did you and Gil go to the club looking for a fight with Eddie?"Sara decided she would leave out the part where she was raped against the cement wall.

"Gil wanted to, he saw the bruises around Catherine's wrists, and he wanted to teach him a lesson, if he had went by himself both Eddie and Gil would be dead right now, us guys held him back until he smoked the bouncer in the face and he returned fire knocking him unconscious and throwing him out the back door. When we saw Eddie wavng his gun we thought that was going to be the end, that we were all goners."

"So he wanted to be her savior huh?" Sara stated.

"Yeah, you have no idea how much, I think he would die for her," Greg replied as they pulled into Gil's driveway turning off the car.

"Let's make sure that doesn't happen okay,"

Back at the hospital Catherine sipped her hot chocolate, not caring that her bruises around her wrists were open for the public to stare at. Warrick and Nick were reading magazines, minding their own business, Catherine was staring at the clock watching the second hand slowly tick around the clock, not being able to forget Gil's promise that he would come over and help her study, and instead went to the Pink Flamingo's and picked a fight with someone ending with him in the emergency room. She wanted to go in and see him, but she was scared, scared that she would break down and cry, scared that he might die, and scared that she would be mad at him and never forgive him.

"Hey guys, I'm going to go to the washroom, I'll be right back," Catherine stated as she got up leaving her hot chocolate down on the table and walking out into the hall.

Catherine headed down the hall, walking past the washrooms and into the room that Gil was being left in. He was sharing it with another patient, each of them separated by a cotton sheet hanging on metal hooks from the ceiling. Catherine quietly walked in, hearing the sound of heart monitors and respirators moving up and down. She sat down beside Gil, seeing his battered and bruised face, looking close to becoming hamburger meat. His knuckles were bruised and cut open and his forehead had a few stitches in it. His lip was two sizes too big and split open down the middle. Catherine took a seat, moving as close as she could to Gil and placed her hand in his. He was knocked out right now, but she knew that he could sense someone being their with him.

"Gil what on earth made you do this, if you did this for me, I'm sorry I put you in this situation, and I wish you would have told me. I would have stopped you before this took place, I hope you can hear me, I love you," Catherine choaked as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"Kitty," Sara whispered from the door with Gil's mother there beside her in tears and shaking. Catherine looked up and watched his mother rush to her son's side, weeping in pain and sorrow. She could not hear the annoying sounds of the machines that were hooked up to her son, but she knew what this all meant.

"What happened to my son?" Gil's mother signed to Sara hoping to get some answers.

"He got into a fight, at a night club, the doctor said he is going to be okay, you stay with him and we will leave you two alone," Sara replied as Catherine joined her at the door.

"Thank-you, I don't understand, what was he doing at a night club?"

"He was there for me, he loves me," Catherine replied as she walked out of the room into the hall sliding down the wall putting her head in her hands and weeping.

"Kitty, I know you don't want any more bad news right now but I have to tell you something," Sara stated as she sat on the floor beside her friend

"What is it Sarbear?"

"I got a letter, from the University of San Francisco, I got accepted into the forensics program, I'll be going away in the fall,"

Catherine just remained silent, staring at her best friend not sure what to say. Sara was right, this was not the news that she needed to hear right at this moment.

"Kitty, say something," Sara said with a smile.

"Don't you ever talk to me again," Catherine replied as she got up and ran down the hallway, passed the waiting room and out to the parking lot. Sara just sat their wiping the tears from her eyes. It was no use to run after her friend, she had possibly destroyed their friendship.

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T.B.C.


	23. Chapter 23

**Ten Years Later **

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"Way to drop the news Sara, at a time where Catherine was most vulnerable," Greg replied as Sara shot him a look that made him shut up i the blink of an eye.

"That wasn't Sara's intention, it may have seemed like that at the time since you know, we hardly talked for the rest of the summer after that, but once she was away at school I realized that she had been attempting to break the news to me numerous times and I would not listen, so I gave her almost no choice. Everyone did used to say Sara had the worst timing when it came to giving bad news." Catherine replied and playfully punched her friend in the shoulder.

"Needless to say you and Sara not being the best of friends anymore had brought some pressure down on the rest of the gang, we had to choose between you too if we ever wanted to do anything, it made us feel like the monkey's in the middle." Nick replied

"Yeah Sara ended up quitting the club since we almost broke out into a cat fight on stage once and I told her she had better leave before Eddie makes her leave, since the football season was done cheer leading was done so we never saw one another again after classes were out nd before we knew it the summer was over and she was on her way to the University in San Fransisco and I was stuck here with Eddie and the wonderful Pink Flamingo's."

"Yeah I remember Nick and I went off to University in the fall, Grissom went off to some University down South to study bugs and Greggo here on his football scholarship went off to Duke. Even though Nick and I stayed in Vegas and went to WLVU we never crossed paths with Catherine again until we all got hired here at the Crime Lab by Conrad Ecklie and were to report to our supervisor Gil Grissom. The a few years later, when Gil decided to call in reinforcements after the tragic death of Holly Gribbs, Sara showed up and it was like the gang was all back together again." Warrick explained, compacting ten years into ten seconds.

"Yeah, how times have changed since we were back in high school, I mean just think Lindsey is starting high school in the fall, and here I am sitting in Gil's house, sipping a drink and remenising about my years in high school with the five people that made it memorable." Catherine stated.

"Yeah those years were definitely the most memorable of my life so far, I'm kind of glad that we got together and discussed these memories, every once and a while it is nice to take a trip back down memory lane, even if some of those memories are painful ones," Greg replied and raised his glass for a toast, "Here's to a decade of memories, and a decade more to come,"

Everyone raised their glasses to match Greg's and Catherine and Sara looked at one another, with a flick of the wrist their red wine went all over Greg's white shirt and jeans as everyone errupted into a fit of laughter. "Oops, my hand slipped," Catherine and Sara said at the same time and smiled.

"I get it, this is pay back from earlier today, I deserve it,"

"Well at least he is being a grown up about it," Gil replied and finished his beer as he smiled at Catherine, she knew that he was referring to her exploding apple in the break room earlier today that started this whole thing.

"That's a first," Warrick stated and everyone began to laugh again.

Catherine got up and went over to Grissom once again and sat down on his lap, "Why don't we continue our memories, down the hall, say your bedroom," she whispered into his ear as Gil's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Okay everyone out, playtime is over," Gil said as Catherine laughed.

"I think it's time to leave the love birds alone, we'll see you at work tomorrow." Sara said as she got up to leave and Warrick, Nick and Greg followed suit.

The couple waited until the door shut behind them until he lifted her up into his arms and walked down the hallway, closing the bedroom door behind them.

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Fin.


End file.
